Russian military plane disappears from radar after takeoff near Sochi

A Russian military plane carrying more than 90 people disappeared from radar Sunday after taking off near Sochi, a Russian Defense Ministry spokesman told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency.

Russian military plane disappears from radar after takeoff near Sochi

This almost sounds like Russia really is cleaning house:
From same source.

The renowned Alexandrov Ensemble, the Russian army's official choir, was on board the plane, a source told Russia's Interfax News Agency. In addition to choir members, nine journalists plus other military members were on board as well, the Defense Ministry told Tass.

I'm going to get a little more, but for now this is odd.

Neat timeline from RT.

25 December 2016
06:42 GMT The Committee is now confiscating documents related to the flight, and is questioning those responsible for flight preparations, TASS reported.
06:35 GMT The Investigative Committee has launched a criminal case into the Tu-154 crash, according to article 351, “Failure to comply with the rules of flight security and preparation,” TASS reports, citing Investigative Committee representative Svetlana Petrenko.
06:34 GMT No survivors have been found so far, emergency services said.
“Unfortunately, during over an hour of search and rescue efforts, no emergency life rafts have been found,” Interfax cited a source as saying.
06:22 GMT The passengers' personal belongings supposedly have been found off the Sochi coast, the local emergency source told TASS.
06:21 GMT Three journalists working for the Russian Channel One were on board of the plane, TASS reported citing the channel's press service.
"Dmitry Runkov, correspondent, Vadim Denisov, cameraman, and sound engineer Aleksandr Soydov were on board of the plane," PR director Larisa Krymova has said, also confirming that the journalists were flying to Syria.
06:18 GMT Debris from the plane has been found at a depth of 50-70 meters, 1.5 kilometers from the shore, the information department of the Russian Defense Ministry stated.
06:02 GMT The crash happened while the plane was ascending, and the crew didn't signal anything was wrong, a source told Interfax.
06:00 GMT Russian President Vladimir Putin has been informed about the situation, and is following the search and rescue, TASS news agency reports.
05:58 GMT Another source told TASS that the plane's chassis was discovered 1.5 kilometers from the shore.

And the BBC is reporting:LINKY HERE

The defence ministry said the Tu-154 was carrying service personnel, members of the famed Alexandrov military band and reporters.
The plane was flying to Syria's Latakia province.
The defence ministry said in a statement: "Fragments of the Tu-154 plane of the Russian defence ministry were found 1.5km from the Black Sea coast of the city of Sochi at a depth of 50 to 70 metres.".

a reply to: Guyfriday

Have you followed Russian military maintenance issues? They lost 8 aircraft in 8 weeks last year.

It was a Tu-154. It crashed into the Black Sea.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Oh yeah, they aren't the greatest when it comes to upkeep (I blame the long Soviet idea of over building stuff vs the cheepo way its done now)


Just seems convenient that this happened so closely after the Diplomat got iced at his house, and the now infamous Turkish Ambassador shooting.

a reply to: Guyfriday

They lost an Il-18 a week ago. Planes crash, regardless of what's going on in the world. Especially when you have a country that's trying to overcome decades of major maintenance problems.

CBS News ‏@CBSNews now24 seconds ago

Fragments of crashed Russian plane found in the Black Sea, Defense ministry says cbsn.ws...

a reply to: Zaphod58

Eh?

Your probably right, and I agree that it could be nothing more then bad maintenance. My concern here is that the 83 passengers on board are being reported as mostly Russian Officials (the Russian Army Choir, some Military Personal) and 9 Journalists. Seems like a juicy target and Russia has been getting hit hard lately. Just News and convenience, Hopefully nothing.

Nothing reported by Kiev Post just yet, which as it took place in what some still recognise as Ukraine seems a little odd. A military band apparently gone down on the plance according to BBC, plus nine JOURNALISTS. As a poster said clearing house of those pesky journalists?

a reply to: Guyfriday

Well it was a military aircraft, so you would expect the passengers to be military. I wouldn't call the Red Army Choir and personnel military officials though. So far the only people even resembling a target would be the choir, and I wouldn't exactly call them a high value target.

I'd say this was nothing but a terrible accident. It's way too early to call it anything else.

sputnik news coverage here

TextThe Russian aircraft TU-154, which had disappeared from from radar shortly after take-off in Sochi Sunday, has crashed in the Krasnodar Region, a source in local security services told RIA Novosti Sunday

Read more: sputniknews.com...

syria as a black hole keeps growing larger than gargantua.

www.rt.com...

Plane was on route to Syria apparently.

About time a thread is made about this.
I suggest you all download the BreakingNews app or go to breakingnews.com
You'll receive all the latest info very quickly.

So far, the latest is that a body has been found near the Sochi coastline.
The plane also made a U-turn before disappearing

a reply to: Zaphod58

I am reminded of that scene from Armageddon:

Invisible plane technologies, no worries…

originally posted by: ufoorbhunter
Nothing reported by Kiev Post just yet, which as it took place in what some still recognise as Ukraine seems a little odd. A military band apparently gone down on the plance according to BBC, plus nine JOURNALISTS. As a poster said clearing house of those pesky journalists?

How is it recognized as Ukraine? It has nothing to do with Ukraine. Take a look at a map.

en.wikipedia.org...

a reply to: Guyfriday

It's the same type of plane that crashed killing "much of Poland's military and political high command, including Polish president Lech Kaczyński and his wife". They all totally de-materialised, but the crew survived only to be accidentally shot by the military types seen in this video. Presumably they mistook guns for bandages in the stress of the moment. Look into this crash if you want to hear the usual poor maintenance allegations, the same speculation will occur again.
There's a list of accidents and incidents at the bottom of this page. en.wikipedia.org...

Since 1968 there have been 39 fatal incidents involving the Tu-154, most of which were caused either by factors unrelated to the aircraft, or by its extensive use in demanding conditions

Listen out for the usual 'Russians can't do maintenance' argument.

Another tragic and completely avoidable incident.


Looks like we have another emp from planet X..


www.abovetopsecret.com...

pause at 1:14 read the headline

could be a set up, lets see the what the narrative that comes says.... lets hope its not the start of something big.

a reply to: Davg80

It has been said the Russians often pretend their equipment is crude, worn out, and badly maintained. People fall for it over and over. That could be a reason for faking it.