Yaroslavl mourns Lokomotiv crash victims
- 13 years ago
Mourners attend a memorial service in Yaroslavl, some 250 kilometres north of Moscow.
They are commemorating the victims of Wednesday's plane crash, which wiped out almost the entire Lokomotiv hockey team.
43 people were killed when the plane slammed into a river bank just outside Yaroslavl. There were only two survivors.
The Russian Communist Party leader was present at the ceremony.
(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN COMMUNIST PARTY LEADER GENNADY ZYUGANOV OUTSIDE CHURCH:
"Every week, one, two, three tragedies - this is such a stupid tragedy. It's such a shame, one of our most talented teams almost all died. Over the past years the trainers created a world-class team."
Only one of the 37 players and team officials on board the plane survived the crash.
Yaroslavl residents pay tribute outside the Lokomotiv stadium.
(SOUNDBITE) (RUSSIAN) YELENA FROM YAROSLAVL:
"I think we have lost some wonderful people, some great players and sportsmen and in just one second Yaroslavl lost such people. Its hockey team can be rebuilt but you can't return those people, it's a great shame, it's so sad, it's tragic, it's unbelievably sad."
Both the survivors are in critical condition, and are being treated in the Yaroslavl hospital.
One was a crew member, and the other offenseman Alexander Galimov, who doctors say has burns on 90 percent of his body.
(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) HEAD DOCTOR YAROSLAVL SOLOVYOV HOSPITAL ALEXANDER DEGTYAGYEV:
"Galimov's condition is extremely critical but stable at the moment - although according to objective analyses he is a bit worse, but stabilising - he is receiving intensive care and keeping him on this level."
Russian investigators said they believed the crash was caused by faulty equipment or pilot error, and emergency workers are still searching the crash site.
Nick Rowlands, Reuters.
They are commemorating the victims of Wednesday's plane crash, which wiped out almost the entire Lokomotiv hockey team.
43 people were killed when the plane slammed into a river bank just outside Yaroslavl. There were only two survivors.
The Russian Communist Party leader was present at the ceremony.
(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN COMMUNIST PARTY LEADER GENNADY ZYUGANOV OUTSIDE CHURCH:
"Every week, one, two, three tragedies - this is such a stupid tragedy. It's such a shame, one of our most talented teams almost all died. Over the past years the trainers created a world-class team."
Only one of the 37 players and team officials on board the plane survived the crash.
Yaroslavl residents pay tribute outside the Lokomotiv stadium.
(SOUNDBITE) (RUSSIAN) YELENA FROM YAROSLAVL:
"I think we have lost some wonderful people, some great players and sportsmen and in just one second Yaroslavl lost such people. Its hockey team can be rebuilt but you can't return those people, it's a great shame, it's so sad, it's tragic, it's unbelievably sad."
Both the survivors are in critical condition, and are being treated in the Yaroslavl hospital.
One was a crew member, and the other offenseman Alexander Galimov, who doctors say has burns on 90 percent of his body.
(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) HEAD DOCTOR YAROSLAVL SOLOVYOV HOSPITAL ALEXANDER DEGTYAGYEV:
"Galimov's condition is extremely critical but stable at the moment - although according to objective analyses he is a bit worse, but stabilising - he is receiving intensive care and keeping him on this level."
Russian investigators said they believed the crash was caused by faulty equipment or pilot error, and emergency workers are still searching the crash site.
Nick Rowlands, Reuters.