Was the Russian Tu-154 crash caused by terrorism?

(Baonghean.vn) -On December 25, a source within Russia's security services revealed to the TASS news agency that a terrorist attack was not considered the primary hypothesis in the Tu-154 plane crash near the Black Sea city of Sochi.

Search and rescue operations for the Russian Tu-154 aircraft are underway. Photo: TASS.

The source stated: “The Tu-154 took off from Chkalovsky airport, where passengers and luggage were thoroughly checked. The plane was scheduled to stop at Mozdok for refueling, but due to adverse weather conditions, it landed in Adler instead. Therefore, no one expected the plane to crash in Sochi.”

The source added that upon landing in Sochi, the plane was carefully monitored: “Only two customs officers boarded the plane, and the pilot disembarked to oversee the refueling process. No meals were served on board. The refueling was carried out by regular personnel.”

Therefore, according to the source, there is no evidence of a possible terrorist attack, and neither investigators nor security agencies consider this a primary hypothesis.

The Russian Defense Ministry's Tu-154 aircraft disappeared from radar screens at 5:40 Moscow time (9:40 Vietnam time), shortly after takeoff from the Black Sea resort city of Sochi.

According to the latest information, there were 92 people on board the plane, including 8 crew members and 84 passengers. Among them was Elizaveta Glinka, CEO of the Fair Aid charity, commonly known as Doctor Liza, along with many military personnel and reporters from Channel One, Zvezda, and NTV.

The plane was also carrying more than 60 members of the renowned Alexandrov Art Ensemble of the Russian Armed Forces. They were on their way to perform a New Year's show with the Russian Air Force stationed at the Hmeymim air base in Syria.

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that wreckage of the Tu-154 has been found 1.5 km off the coast of Sochi, at a depth of 50-70 meters. Eleven bodies have been recovered so far, and it is highly probable that no one survived.

The search and rescue operation is still underway, and the Russian Investigative Committee has filed criminal charges in connection with the incident, which is believed to have violated flight safety regulations resulting in fatalities.

Thu Giang

(According to TASS)