The death toll continues to rise after an airplane crash in Russia.
However, authorities still cannot say for sure how many people were seated on the plane.
Menselinsk - After an airplane accident in Russia, the number of fatalities is increasing; more than 20 people were on board the plane at the time of the accident.
As Russian authorities confirm to the Interfax agency, the crash occurred in the Russian republic of Tatarstan.
A few passengers are said to have survived the accident.
Numerous fatalities after plane crash in Russia: number of passengers raises questions
Initially, authorities had spoken of eleven fatalities, later the Russian civil protection ministry increased the number to 15. According to unconfirmed media reports, there are even 16 deaths. Authorities further confirm that parachutists from a regional aero club were on board. The authority confirmed to the Interfax agency in the morning the crash of the light twin-engine L-410 transport aircraft near an airfield in the city of Menselinsk. Rescue workers have already recovered a number of corpses from the wreck, it said.
At least seven people are said to have survived the crash - with serious injuries.
But how many people were on board the machine was still unclear hours after the crash on Sunday morning.
Were on board
, according to initial findings, two pilots and 20 passengers, and later was reported by a total of 23 people on board.
Russia: what caused the machine to crash?
The President of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnichanov, expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.
According to his press office, he flew to the scene of the accident.
On social networks, pictures of the wreck could be seen in a pile of logs.
Accordingly, the machine crashed on the ground near a village.
Helpers reported that the plane
caught fire and that the fire was quickly extinguished.
The cause of the crash was suspected to be an overloading of the aircraft or a technical failure, which is why the pilot attempted an emergency landing.
The production at the world-famous Bolshoi Theater in Moscow ended fatally for one actor.
Many viewers apparently initially thought the accident was part of the production.
