Russian plane with 75 aboard crashes in Georgia

Russian plane with 75 aboard crashes in Georgia
REUTERS

MOSCOW, OCT 25: A Russian military plane with 75people on board crashed on Wednesday near the Georgian Port of Batumi, a spokeswoman for Russia's Emergency Ministry said.

The spokeswoman said there were 64 passengers and 11 crew onboard the four-engine propeller-driven Il-18 plane which was flying from a military airport outside Moscow to Batumi, the capital of Georgia's autonomous region of Adzhara.

She said she did not know whether anyone on board survivedthe crash and could not give further details.

Georgian officials could not be immediately contacted.

Interfax news agency said the plane crashed into a mountainsome 25 km (15 miles) from Batumi. Russia has a military base in the area.