Aircraft Operated by Armavia, 113 Onboard

ANN REALTIME UPDATE 05.03.06 1300EDT: Authorities now say that 113 passenger and crewmembers were onboard the Armavia Airlines A320 that went down in the Black Sea Tuesday night -- and that it appears no one could have survived the accident.

"According to preliminary information, all people on board are dead," a spokesman for the Russian emergency ministry told the London Times.

Officials have been quick to dispel rumors that a terrorist attack was responsible for bringing the medium-range airliner down as it was on approach to land at Sochi, a Black Sea resort town in southern Russia.

"At the moment we have absolutely no evidence pointing to the possibility of a terrorist attack on the plane," Nikolai Shepel, the Deputy General Prosector, told local news reporters. An airline official also ruled out technical failure.

Unnamed Russian officials told the Times investigators are blaming the accident -- the worst in Armenia's history -- on strong crosswinds and poor visibility due to low-lying clouds.

Armenian President Robert Kocharian and Russian President Vladmir Putin have both declared Friday as a day of mourning to honor the victims of the accident.

Original Report

ANN is monitoring reports that an Armenian Airbus A320-200 is reported down over the Black Sea on a flight from Yerevan. The airliner, reportedly carrying 112 people, is said to have gone down near the Russian resort town of Sochi.

Bad weather appears to be hampering search efforts as well as potentially complicit in the accident. The aircraft was under radar surveillance when it went off the scope at approximately 0330 local time (Wednesday). The aircraft was making a turn toward Adler Airport when the accident transpired.

So far, rescue parties have recovered aircraft wreckage, life jackets and some baggage in the waters some four miles off the coast. Of the 112 people listed on board the aircraft, ANN regrets to report that at least five appear to be children. Eight crewpersons were listed onboard this aircraft.

Armavia took over many of bankrupt Armenian Airlines' routes after negotiations with Armenian government took place when Armenian Airlines declared bankruptcy in 2004.

Russian aviation officials report that the aircraft issued no distress call before the impact and that an investigation is already underway.

FMI: www.armavia.ru, www.u8.am