Yesterday, Russian disaster shocked the whole world.  An airliner Yak-42 that crashed on the banks of the Volga River, killing 43 people including most of one of Russia's premier hockey teams. The reason of the disaster is still unknown, investigation is underway. Yak-42 crashed just after takeoff Wednesday from the Yaroslavl airport, 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of Moscow. The Interstate Aviation Committee says the recorders are believed to be in the tail section of the jet, which is partly submerged in the river.

The victims included 36 players, coaches and officials of Yaroslavl Lokomotiv, which had been heading to Minsk, Belarus to play its opening game of the Kontinental Hockey League season.

There were only two crash survivors and both were reported as being in serious condition on Thursday.

Among the dead were Lokomotiv coach and NHL veteran Brad McCrimmon, a Canadian; assistant coach Alexander Karpovtsev, one of the first Russians to have his name etched on the Stanley Cup as a member of the New York Rangers; and Pavol Demitra, who played for the St. Louis Blues and the Vancouver Canucks and was the Slovakian national team captain.

Other standouts killed were Czech players Josef Vasicek, Karel Rachunek and Jan Marek, Swedish goalie Stefan Liv, Latvian defenseman Karlis Skrastins and defenseman Ruslan Salei of Belarus.

The crash is one of the worst aviation disasters in sports history.
"World Sport" deeply regrets what happened in Russia because of the horrible crash and extends its sincerest condolences to the families of athletes.In addition, our editorial board sent a letter of condolence to Yaroslav "Locomotive", continental hockey league, the Russian hockey federation and the authority of Sports Ministry.

Levan Sepiskveradze