A Boeing 738 (737-800) passenger jet crashed while trying to land at Russia's Rostov-on-Don airport, according to Russia's Emergencies Ministry.
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At a televised briefing headed by Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov, a ministry official told him that all 55 passengers and seven crew members had been killed.
Boeing's official Twitter account tweeted a statement about the incident, saying, "Boeing's thoughts and prayers are with those on board flydubai flight FZ981 and their families and friends. Boeing stands ready to provide technical assistance upon the request of government agencies conducting the investigation."
State news agency Tass reported that the Investigative Committee, the country's top investigative agency, said preliminary information indicates the plane was landing when it hit the ground and broke into pieces at the airport about 600 miles south of Moscow.
Unverified footage has surfaced on social media moments before the crash:
Circula en la red un video del momento exacto de la explosión del Boeing 737 en Rusia https://t.co/0rxebfkU8E pic.twitter.com/kMcHis3uQK
— RT en Español (@ActualidadRT) March 19, 2016
Emergencies Ministry sent more than 400 rescue staff, 34 pieces of equipment https://t.co/SGGg0KnL2U pic.twitter.com/eQkL4ydDay
— RT (@RT_com) March 19, 2016
Russian Emergency Situations Ministry posts first photos of FlyDubai crash scene in Rostov-on-Don. 📷:: @MchsRussia pic.twitter.com/bzUsB59o5i
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) March 19, 2016
First photos emerge from scene of plane crash in southwest Russia. More at: https://t.co/TUZ0zlMWUl pic.twitter.com/lu6L6PBh1Y
— BNO News (@BNONews) March 19, 2016
MORE: #Boeing and #FlyDubai to launch investigation into crash of #FZ981 https://t.co/SGGg0K69Ek pic.twitter.com/aqBRknJm93
— RT (@RT_com) March 19, 2016
BREAKING: Multiple sources reporting all passengers killed on #FZ981 flight from Dubai to Rostov-on-Don, Russia
— Jodi Goldberg (@JodiGFox5NY) March 19, 2016
ALERT https://t.co/1jjhY4y8Qk Editor's note: The plane that crashed in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, was attempting a second landing due to poo…
— AIRLIVE (@airlivenet) March 19, 2016
https://twitter.com/ChrisDollesin/status/711016395895676929
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