Report: Plane crash kills ‘majority’ of KHL team Lokomotiv
Tragedy has struck the hockey world again, this time in Russia and this time on a considerable scale. From Russia Today:
Thirty-four people have died in a Yakovlev Yak-42 passenger plane crash near the city of Yaroslavl in Central Russia. The majority of victims were member of the local ice hockey team Lokomotiv.
The site reports there were 37 passengers and three survivors from the crash, which occurred right after takeoff for a flight to Minsk, where Lokomotiv had a Kontinental Hockey League game scheduled against Dynamo Minsk on Thursday.
SovSport has more:
A terrible tragedy in Russia this morning. A Yak-42 charter plane carrying KHL's Lokomotiv crashed on take off. There were 37 people on board. At this time there are reports of only one survivor. The search and rescue operation is underway.
Witnesses are reporting that the plane was reduced to a pile of charred metal. It is reported that the plane broke off in two and one half fell into water and another one on the ground.
Among the NHL alumni on Lokomotiv's roster as of July 9: Josef Vasicek, Pavol Demitra(notes), Karel Rachunek, Ruslan Salei(notes), Karlis Skrastins(notes) and Red Wings goalie prospect Stefan Liv.
Former Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Brad McCrimmon was listed as their head coach.
We'll bring you more information when it becomes available on this terrible day for hockey.