SOCHI (Southern Russia), May 4 (RIA Novosti) - Rescue teams Thursday launched a search for the flight recorders of an Armenian airliner that crashed early Wednesday into the Black Sea, killing 113 people on board.
An Airbus A-320 belonging to Armenia's Armavia Airlines flying from the country's capital, Yerevan, crashed about six kilometers from the Russian coast en route to an airport in Adler, which services the resort of Sochi. Eight crewmembers and 105 passengers were on board.
An extensive search-and-rescue operation involving more than 500 rescue workers, about 40 boats, deep-sea vehicles and a B-200 amphibious aircraft has continued through the night.
An Emergency Situations Ministry official said Thursday morning that the main part of the aircraft's fuselage had been found. He said the jet's tail had also been recovered, but the black boxes had not yet been located.
Rescuers have recovered 48 bodies, and officials have identified 20 of the victims so far.
Transport Minister Igor Levitin, overseeing the rescue effort, said the weather in the crash zone had improved and would allow using helicopters and planes in the search.
"The day will show the length of the operation," Levitin said.
He also said experts from Toulouse-based Airbus had arrived in Sochi to help with the rescue efforts.
Meanwhile, officials continue to analyze exchanges between air traffic controllers and the plane's crew.
Preliminary data from Georgian officials showed the airliner was nearing the Russian border when it was warned of bad weather conditions at Adler airport, and the pilot decided to return to Yerevan. Later, however, he received a communication from air traffic control saying that conditions had improved and decided to resume his course. Ten minutes later the plane crashed about 6 miles off the coast.
