[trueblue68]

TUNOSHNA, Russia — A private Russian jet carrying a top ice hockey team slammed into a riverbank moments after takeoff Wednesday, killing at least 43 people in one of the worst plane crashes ever involving a sports team.

Both Russia and the world of hockey were left stunned by the deaths of so many international stars in one catastrophic event. Two other people on board were critically injured.

The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said the Yak-42 plane crashed into the shores of the Volga River immediately after leaving the airport near the western city of Yaroslavl, 240 kilometres northeast of Moscow. The weather was sunny and clear at the time. Russian media said the plane struggled to gain altitude and then crashed into a signal tower, shattering into pieces.

television showed a flaming fragment of the plane in the river as divers worked feverishly to recover bodies.

The plane was carrying the Lokomotiv ice hockey team from Yaroslavl to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, where the team was to play Thursday against Dinamo Minsk in the opening game of the season for the Kontinental Hockey League. The ministry said it had 45 people on board, including 37 passengers and eight crew.

The Emergency Ministry said Czech players Josef Vasicek, Karel Rachunek and Jan Marek, Swedish goalie Stefan Liv, Canadian coach Brad McCrimmon, Latvian defenceman Karlis Skrastins and defenceman Ruslan Salehi of Belarus were among those killed. Slovakian national team captain Pavol Demitra, who played in the NHL for the St. Louis Blues and the Vancouver Canucks, was also among the dead, officials said.

“Though it occurred thousands of miles away from our home arenas, this tragedy represents a catastrophic loss to the hockey world – including the NHL family, which lost so many fathers, sons, teammates and friends who at one time excelled in our League,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/09...es-killing-43/


Pictures of the crash:
http://http://news.yahoo.com/photos/...981-slideshow/

[trueblue68]

I apologize for the lack of pictures, there is one on the link I posted. If I knew how to post pictures here I would have. I dont usually post so im not sure how.

[kellyhound]

2 survived, now that's a miracle.

<iframe width="560" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/a09okWTg9xo?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[trueblue68]

The player that survived apparently has burns on 80% of his body, so chances are he won't make it.

[Peehnut]

WOW. I've never been a fan of hockey, but its still shocking to see so many talented athletes wiped out so suddenly.

[trueblue68]

Added a link to a slideshow of pictures from the crash in main post.

[sassieroses]

[Nite]

sad day for the NHL

[rabenson]

This summer has been a horrible time for the hockey community. 3 NHL player deaths in Boogard, Rypien and Belek than today this huge loss for the KHL. May they all RIP.

[scoRch]

Pavol Demitra was from my country.

He is now with his son :)

R.I.P