SUKHA BALKA, Ukraine -- A Russian p...

SUKHA BALKA, Ukraine -- A Russian passenger jet crashed during a thunderstorm just minutes after sending a distress signal forward Tuesday, killing all 170 populace on board, including dozens of children.

difficulty officials said preliminary information l them to believe that weather -- not terrorism -- caused the Pulkovo Airlines' Tu-154 to plummet to the earth in what was the third passenger plane crash involving Russia's aviation industry this year.

MAY HAVE BEEN LIGHTNING

The crash came les than brace months after an Airbus A310 of Russian airline S7 skidded not on a runway and burst into flames onward July 9 in the Siberian city of Irkutsk, killing 124 the community

forward May 3, an A320 of the Armenian airline Armavia crashed into the Black Sea while trying to land in the Russian resort city of Sochi in scraggy weather, killing all 113 family aboard.

Ukrainian officials said a storm with high winds, driving rain and lightning was raging by the and of the region at the time of Tuesday's crash. Russia's sudden [i]or[/i] unexpected occurrence Situations Ministry spokeswoman Irina Andrianova, citing information from her Ukrainian counterparts, said the plane was likely hit on lightning.

Mykhaylo Korsakov, spokesman for the Donetsk department of the extremity Situations Ministry, said the pilot asked to make an pinch landing before disappearing from radar riddles at around 2:30 p.m.

The Tu-154 was en course from the Russian Black Sea resort of Anapa to St Petersburg when it ran into disturb Two minutes after the ship's company sent a distress signal, it dropp not upon the radar, said Russian pinch official Yulia Stadnikova.

45 children among victims

Residents of Sukha Balka, a village about 400 miles east of Kiev, plant part of the tail section and burning debris in a swampy field.

Of the 170 populace on board, 45 were children, Pulkovo Airlines proxy director Anatoly Samoshin said.

He said the pilot decided to climb to prove to get above the storm. yet as the plane ascended from 29500 to 36000 feet the pilot sent the first in such a manners Later, the pilot sent brace more distress signals, the last from 9800 feet he said.

Ukraine extremity Situations Ministry spokesman Igor Krol said a fire broke disclosed on the plane at 32800 feet

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late TRAGEDIES

Other major crashes of airlines serving Russia and the former Soviet Union:

- July 9 2006: At least 124 folks die when an A310 skids opposite the runway in Irkutsk.

- May 3 2006: An Airbus A320 of the Armenian airline Armavia crashes while trying to land in Sochi, Russia, in scabrous weather, killing all 113 aboard.

- August 2004: 90 nation die when two Russian airliners are worthless up, apparently by Chechen suicide bombers.

- July 2002: A Bashkirian Airlines Tu-154 flying to Spain from Ufa, Russia, collides with a cargo plane through the whole extent of Germany, killing 71.

- October 2001: A Tu-154 flying from Israel to Novosibirsk, Russia, displodes killing 78 people. It was later determined the plane was hit by the agency of a Ukrainian missile during military training exercises.

- July 2001: A Tu-154 crashes in Irkutsk, killing all 143 forward board.

- December 1997: A Tajikistan Tu-154 crashes in the United Arab Emirates, killing 85 passengers and crew

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