A passenger FlyDubai Boeing-737-800 en route from Dubai to Russia’s Rostov-on-Don crashed at the city`s airport after missing the runway amid poor visibility, a Russian Emergencies Ministry source told RIA Novosti on Saturday. A total of 61 people were killed.

According to preliminary data, 55 passengers, including four children, and six crew members were on board; a source in the Emergencies Ministry indicated all were killed in the crash.

Most people on board the crashed passenger jet Boeing-737-800 were residents of the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, there also were foreigners among them, the Russian Emergencies Ministry’s Southern Regional Center’s chief Igor Oder said Saturday.

«There were mainly residents of Rostov-on-Don on board. According to preliminary data, there also were three foreigners there," Oder said during a video conference in the Emergencies Ministry.

Poor visibility caused by heavy rain could have been the cause of the crash. A blast occurred shortly after the jet crashed, according to authorities.

"No other scenario for the crash of the plane, apart from the weather, is being considered," Governor of the Rostov Region Vasily Golubev said.

The Boeing 737-800 plane went down about 250-300 meters (820-984 feet) short of the runway, the governor said.



The runways at the Rostov-on-Don Airport (ROV), where a Boeing passenger jet crashed, are in good condition.

"The airport underwent reconstruction last year, between March and June, the runways also underwent reconstruction. The runway is in good condition," Golubev said on Rossiya-24 TV on Saturday.

Russian Investigation Committee has launched a preliminary investigation.

FlyDubai Airlines has confirmed the crash of its flight in Rostov-on-Don. An inquiry into the accident has been launched, a company statement reads.

"We are aware of an incident involving our flight FZ981 from Dubai to Rostov On Don. We are investigating further details and will publish an update once more information is available," FlyDubai said on Facebook.

Some 80 rescuers and 19 pieces of rescue equipment are working on the crash site.

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