Russian plane crash

The crew of the Saratov Airlines flight that crashed near Moscow on Sunday didn't report any problems before the plane crashed into snowy terrain, killing all 71 people on board, state-run media said. The Antonov An-148 aircraft was carrying 65 passengers and six crew members. The plane was headed to the Russian city of Orsk, near the border with Kazakhstan. But it disappeared from radar shortly after takeoff from Moscow. The snow is very dense in the Moscow region which has had some of its heaviest snowfall in decades. It is not clear at this stage whether weather was factor in the crash. Both flight recorders from the plane were in the hands of investigators Monday. The onboard voice recorder for cockpit conversations was found Monday. The other device on the aircraft -- the flight data recorder registering details such as speed and altitude -- was recovered on Sunday. The cause of the crash remains uncertain. The Investigative Committee of Russia said officials have launched a criminal investigation, as all possible causes are being explored. Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed, "deep condolences to all those who lost relatives and friends in this disaster."

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