TWO Russian Airliners Have Crashed.

[ConservativeMan55]

Per Foxnews Alert. Into the red sea.

60 people aboard the first one.

[eabinga]

In other Russian news concerning Aircraft:

Debris of presumably American WW2 plane found in Vestnik Bay in southeastern Kamchatka

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, August 23 (Itar-Tass) -- Members of a joint Russo-American search group have found debris of a WW2 plane in the Vestnik Bay in southeastern Kamchatka. Presumably, the plane belonged to the US Air Forces, a source in the regional office of the Russian Foreign Ministry told TASS.

[hummingbird]

Not yet. Given that this was a domestic flight, I would assume most passengers to be Russian Nationals.

Thanks, CG...these were Aeroflot? If so, not even the Russians have confidence in flying; trains more popular.

[Clive]

Well they were not DeHavilland aircraft this time, or Bombardier.

We had a bit of fun with that one.

[ohioconservative]

"In flight emergency IFF code. Also no 7500, the Hijack code?"

No Mayday calls from what I've heard.

[ChadGore]

This from NBR:

---

Two passenger aircraft have crashed within minutes of each other in Russia and a bomb has exploded on a street in Moscow.

No connection between the incidents, apart from timing and the fact that both flights originated in Moscow, is certain.

Between 88 and 108 passengers and crew may have been lost in the crashes, but considerable confusion exists as early reports do not agree about aircraft identities, locations or souls on board.

Reuters said that a four-engine Tupalov 154 aircraft, with 54 passengers and 8 crew on board, crashed near the village of Buchalki, some 110 miles south of Moscow.

Separately, it reported that a three-engine Tu-134 airliner with 34 passengers and eight crew flying from Moscow to Volgograd had crashed and that another plane, a Tu-154 with 44 passengers and eight crew on board had vanished in flight from Moscow to the Black Sea resort of Sochi, near the southern city of Rostov-on-Don.

Primary source reporting for the incidents is coming from Itar-Tass, which is being overwhelmed by internet traffic as the breaking story unfolds.

Some sources say there was an explosion aboard one of the aircraft before it crashed.

Fox News says emergency workers spotted a fire about 600 miles south of Moscow in the region where the second plane went missing, citing an Interfax news agency report.

Homeland Security in the US is said to be monitoring the situation closely and Russian President Putin has ordered an investigation by the FSB, the nation's top intelligence agency, and tightened security at airports.

Presidential elections are scheduled this weekend in Chechnya and officials have expressed concern that the incidents may be part of a pattern of terrorist activities undertaken in recent years by separatists in the region.

Meanwhile, a bomb injured four when it detonated at a Moscow bus stop. The device had a force of between 100-200 grams of TNT, according to a report on Itar-Tass

Chechen websites such as Kavkazcenter.com that normally carry detailed after-action reports have not yet mentioned the incidents.

25-Aug-2004

[Shqipo]

Just reported on THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW by Josef Bodansky: A piece of luggage exploded near bus stop in Moscow-- potentially a third bomb that didn't make it onto a plane.

[eabinga]

I believe that happened hours earlier.

[ChadGore]

bttt

[Centurion2000]

bump for later analysis

[Sacajaweau]

You're right about Tuesday!!

[max_rpf]

See http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1198547/posts?page=153#153

[Sacajaweau]

Wonder who was on the plane that might raise an eyebrow?

[76834]

Wonder who was on the plane that might raise an eyebrow?

Syrian musicians perhaps???
Really makes you wonder. They have been probing our security for no telling how long now.
This could well be the opening phase of the next biggie.

[longfellow]

YOU HAVE MADE MY NIGHT!

[twgiles]

I don't imagine these planes were within a fuel tank's range of Athens?

[Sacajaweau]

It looks like the Black Sea is about 100 miles south of Moscow from ye old map (which is on the other wall and I always have to get up to look at it). What are the Towns again?

Didn't they put out an alert on one of the little old Russian places like Tzyekestan (sp?)?

[Sacajaweau]

Interesting thought. About 50 miles to get there (I think).

[76834]

LOL
I am certainly no expert in these matters and have no idea.
I do have a disturbing hunch about this one tho.

Hope I am wrong and just simply paranoid.

[Sacajaweau]

Planes crash occasionally. The odds of them crashing, accidently & simultaneously are probably close to infinity.

[Michael2001]

Georgia is a country that is formerly part of the USSR and now has some tension with Russia. That is a seperate entity than the state where you are from.