TUNOSHNA, Russia (AP) -- A private Russian jet carrying a top ice hockey team slammed into a riverbank moments after takeoff Wednesday, killing at least 43 people in one of the worst plane crashes ever involving a sports team. Two other people on board were critically injured.
Both Russia and the world of hockey were left stunned by the deaths of so many international stars in one catastrophic event. The International Ice Hockey Federation said 27 players of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team were killed, along with 2 coaches and 7 club officials.
(19 images)
Both Russia and the world of hockey were left stunned by the deaths of so many international stars in one catastrophic event. The International Ice Hockey Federation said 27 players of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team were killed, along with 2 coaches and 7 club officials.
(19 images)
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Fans of the Lokomotiv ice hockey team lay flowers and light candles at the Lokomotiv Arena to pay tribute to the Lokomotiv players killed in a plane crash, in the city of Yaroslavl, on the Volga River about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011. AP / Misha Japaridze
Belarusian ice hockey fans lay flowers and light candles in front of the Minsk Arena to pay tribute to the Lokomotiv players killed in a plane crash near Yaroslavl, in Minsk, Belarus, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011. AP / Dmitry Brushko
Fans of Swedish hockey team HV71 gather outside the arena to pay tribute to their team's former goalie of six seasons, and Lokomotiv team member Stefan Liv, in Jonkoping, Sweden, Wednesday Sept. 7, 2011. AP / Anna Hallams
Fans of Swedish hockey team HV71 gather outside the arena to pay tribute to their team's former goalie of six seasons, and Lokomotiv team member Stefan Liv, in Jonkoping, Sweden, Wednesday Sept. 7, 2011. AP / Anna Hallams
People gather next to the burning candles at Old Town Square in Prague, Czech Republic, to pay tribute to the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl players including three Czech players killed in the plane crash in the city of Yaroslavl, in Minsk, Belarus, on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011. AP / Dolezal Michal
Fans of the Lokomotiv ice hockey team lay flowers and light candles at the Lokomotiv Arena to pay tribute to the Lokomotiv players killed in a plane crash, in the city of Yaroslavl, on the Volga River about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011. AP / Misha Japaridze
Fans of the Lokomotiv ice hockey team lay flowers and light candles at the Lokomotiv Arena to pay tribute to the Lokomotiv players killed in a plane crash, in the city of Yaroslavl, on the Volga River about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011. AP / Misha Japaridze
Fans of the Lokomotiv ice hockey team lay flowers and light candles at the Lokomotiv Arena to pay tribute to the Lokomotiv players killed in a plane crash, in the city of Yaroslavl, on the Volga River about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011. AP / Misha Japaridze
A young woman cries during the announcement of a fatal plane crash that killed the Lokomotiv ice hockey team, at a match between KHL League teams Salavat Yulayev and Atlant in Ufa, about 1200 kilometers (750 miles) east of Moscow, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011. AP /
Local residents gather near the crash site of Russian Yak-42 jet near the city of Yaroslavl, on the Volga River about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011. AP / Misha Japaridze
Rescuers work at the crash site of a Russian Yak-42 jet near the city of Yaroslavl, on the Volga River about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011. AP / Misha Japaridze
Wreckage of Russian Yak-42 jet, carrying a top ice hockey team, seen near the city of Yaroslavl, on the Volga River about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011. AP / Misha Japaridze
Police officers block the area of the crash site of the Russian Yak-42 jet near the city of Yaroslavl, on the Volga River about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011. AP / Misha Japaridze
Rescuers lift a stretcher with the body of a victim out of the river at the crash site of the Russian Yak-42 jet near the city of Yaroslavl, on the Volga River about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011. AP / Misha Japaridze
Rescuers carry a stretcher with the body of a victim at the crash site of the Russian Yak-42 jet near the city of Yaroslavl, on the Volga River about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011. AP / Misha Japaridze
Rescuers lift a stretcher with the body of a victim out of the river, at the crash site of Russian Yak-42 jet near the city of Yaroslavl, on the Volga River about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011. AP / Misha Japaridze
Rescuers work on the river at the crash site of Russian Yak-42 jet near the city of Yaroslavl, on the Volga River about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011. AP / Misha Japaridze
Rescuers work at the crash site of Russian Yak-42 jet near the city of Yaroslavl, on the Volga River about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011. AP / Misha Japaridze
Rescuers work at the crash site of Russian Yak-42 jet near the city of Yaroslavl, on the Volga River about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011. AP / Misha Japaridze
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