Plane crashes in Russia killing 62 people after missing runway on landing

The Boeing 738, en route from Dubai, crashed on approach to Rostov-on-Don airport in poor visibility conditions

A passenger jet has crash landed at an airport in Russia, killing all 62 people on board.
The Boeing 738 plane is believed to have crashed as it was approaching Rostov-on-Don airport in southern Russia.
The plane was en route from Dubai carrying 55 passengers and seven crew, according to the country's Southern Regional Emergency Center.
It is thought the aircraft, operated by flydubai, missed the runway due to poor visibility, emergency services told RIA Novosti.

"Unfortunately, they all died," Viktor Yanutsenko, an emergencies ministry official helping coordinate the emergency response, was quoted as saying by Russia's RIA news agency. Zhanna Terekohova, an advisor to the Russian transport minister, told state television possible causes of the crash included pilot error and poor weather conditions.
Local officials said at the time of the crash, there was strong, gusting wind in the Rostov area.


The aircraft had to abandon an initial attempt to land at Rostov, its scheduled destination, and came down while making a repeat attempt, according to an emergencies ministry statement.
The plane came down inside the airport's perimeter, about 250 metres (yards) short of the start of the runway.
Flydubai confirmed the tragedy in a post on its Facebook page.

In a statement, it said: "We are doing all we can to gather information as quickly as possible. At this moment our thoughts and prayers are with our passengers and our crew who were on board the aircraft."

 

 

Grainy pictures from a security camera pointing towards the airport, which were broadcast on Russian television, showed a large explosion at ground level, with flames and sparks leaping high into the air.
Most of the passengers on board were Russian, the regional governor said on television.
"Three foreigners were on the passenger list of the plane, but that information needs checking" an emergencies ministry official said on Rossiya-24 news channel.
"We will do everything we can to help those who have been affected by this accident," said the carrier, which is owned by the Dubai government.