MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, the Russian government press service said that Sokolov would head the investigation commission at the request of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
"Sokolov arrived in Sochi to hold the meeting of commission on elimination of consequences of the Tu-154 [plane] crash and providing assistance to the victims’ families," the press service said.
Earlier in the day, the Russian Defense Ministry's Tu-154 aircraft en route to Syria with 92 people on board crashed into the Black Sea shortly after refueling at an airport in the Russian resort city of Adler. Fragments of the plane were discovered 1 mile from the sea shore of Sochi.
Most of the passengers were members of the famous army choir of the Russian armed forces, the Alexandrov Ensemble, who were traveling from Moscow to Hmeymim airbase in Syria to put on a New Year concert for Russian troops deployed there.
© SputnikCrash of Tu-154 plane in Sochi
Crash of Tu-154 plane in Sochi
© Sputnik