Images of passengers onboard the doomed Russian plane that crashed killing 92

A YOUNG engaged couple were amongst those on the ill-fated Russian military plane that crashed in the Sochi air disaster.

Details have emerged about Passengers onboard the doomed Russian military plane

WILL STEWART

Ralina Gilmanova, 22 and her fiancé Mikhail were amongst the 84 passengers and the eight crew that all lost their lives when the plane crashed into the sea after leaving the southern city of Adler at 5.40am, local time.

They had got engaged last year and were due to be married.

The pair were part of the Alexandrov Ensemble, known worldwide as the Red Army Choir, that were being flown out to Syria to play to the troops based there as part of New Year celebrations.

The TU-154 was on a routine flight to the Russian Hmeimim air base in Syria which is used to launch air strikes as support to President Bashar al-Assad in the ongoing conflict in the country.

Alexander Shutko, 30, was also amongst those that lost their lives.

His sister, Emma, said: “Alexander called me and said 'we are already on board, taking off in 15 minutes, I'll call you when we stop in Sochi.

NC

Ralina Gilmanova and Mikhail were on the ill-fated flight

NA

The couple were due to get married this year

Will Stewart

Daria Trofimova was amongst the passengers

“But he didn't call us. We tried to contact him but his phone was out of coverage.'

She added he had been promised a soloist's role in the choir, that saw 64 of its members killed in the crash.

She said: “He was so happy about his new job. He was promised a career of a soloist, he had a rare and beautiful voice.”

Will Stewart

Liliia Ryryeva was on board the TU-154 plane

He was engaged to Yulia, who wrote: “My love, my life, you are the best in this world, I always told you this! Rest in peace.”

Yelizaveta Glinka, a charity activist and humanitarian worker who served on the Kremlin human rights council, was among the dead.

Mikhail Fedotov, who heads the council, said Ms Glinka was travelling to Syria to bring medication to a university hospital near the airbase.

Anton Gubankov, the chief of the Directorate of Culture of the Russian Defense Ministry, was also killed.

Will Stewart

Maria Klokotova died in the Sochi air disaster

Nine journalists also perished and the state-run channels Pervy Kanal, NTV and Zvezda all said that they had lost three staff each.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the country will observe a national day of mourning tomorrow.

A spokesman for the defence ministry said: “Fragments of the Tu-154 plane of the Russian defence ministry were found 1.5 kilometres from the Black Sea coast of the city of Sochi at a depth of 50 to 70 metres. No survivors have been spotted.

“Four ships, four helicopters, one aircraft and drones are involved in the search and rescue operation. Six ships and vessels of the Black Sea fleet, remotely operated submersibles and 63 divers have been additionally sent to the crash area. Fifty more divers from other fleets will be brought to the crash area in about an hour.”

Getty

Russian President Vladmir Putin

So far, 12 bodies have been recovered from the sea as the search operation continues.

Head of the Defence Affairs Committee Viktor Ozerov flatly ruled out the possibility of a terrorist strike, saying it was “totally excluded” because it was a military plane.

A security source said the plane had probably crashed because of a technical fault or pilot error.

An audio recording played on Russian media and said to be of the final conversation between air traffic controllers and the plane showed no sign of any difficulties being faced by the crew.

It is believed that an SOS message was not sent.