KHL Team (Lokomotiv) Plane Crashes - 36 Dead

[killgod]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=375297

MOSCOW -- A Russian jet carrying a local hockey team crashed Wednesday while taking off in western Russia, killing 36 people and leaving one critically injured, officials said.

The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said the Yak-42 crashed immediately after taking off from an airport near the city of Yaroslavl, on the Volga River, 240 kilometres northeast of Moscow. It said one person survived the crash with grave injuries.

The ministry said the plane was carrying the Lokomotiv hockey team from Yaroslavl.

The team was heading to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, where it was to play Thursday against Dinamo Minsk in the opening game of the season of the Kontinental Hockey League.

The KHL is a league of several ex-Soviet countries.

[Ravin]

Pavol Demitra and Ruslan Salei play for this team and not known yet if they are among those dead.


edit:

The team was travelling to their first game, so it is being said the entire main roster roster was on board. That would include Demitra and Salei.

[leaffan]

There are a ton of rumours flying around right now about who was on the plane and who wasn't.

Salei has been reported both alive and dead at this point and there are anywhere from 1 to 3 survivors.

[leaffan]

There was a game going on but once the seriousness of the crash became a reality the players on both teams agree'd to stop.

[EmpireWF]

That's horrible.

[Apocalypse]

Terrible, absolutely terrible.

[Kuzzy Powers]

Demitra was always a favourite on mine when he was in St. Louis. Tragic news.

[leaffan]

Pictures are rolling in:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/in-pictures-43-dead-after-russian-jet-carrying-hockey-team-crashes/article2156420/

Holy fuck.

[Apocalypse]

The reports now are saying 43 of 45 are dead..

[killgod]

Skrastins and Rachunek are 2 other former NHL players on that team's roster.

[EmpireWF]

I saw one report that said all but 1 person died.

[leaffan]

Devils CEO/President/GM Lou Lamoriello confirms to reporters that Alexander Vasyunov was killed in the plane crash in Russia

[EmpireWF]

Pictures are rolling in:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/in-pictures-43-dead-after-russian-jet-carrying-hockey-team-crashes/article2156420/

Holy fuck.

Damn....

Russia's airlines still using Cold War era planes =

[Guest]

Such a great tragedy..........its horrible to see those pictures. I am very surprised that two people survived that.

In any case, it is good to see other KHL teams and players support their own. There was a plan that was brought forward where teams would offer three players in a draft to rebuild Lokomotiv for this season, and none of the teams have objected to it. In addition, over 30 players have already volunteered to switch teams as well.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Damn, Skrat was on that plane?