By Sarp Ozer
ANKARA (AA) - Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik Sunday has sent a message of condolence to his Russian counterpart, Sergey Shoygu over the Russian plane crashed in the Black Sea.
Earlier on Sunday, Russia's Tu-154 aircraft of the Russian Defense Ministry crashed in the Black Sea after it disappeared from radar.
"I have learned with great sorrow that the Russian Defense Ministry's Tu-154 military transport aircraft departing Russian city of Sochi crashed in Black Sea, leaving the passengers and the crew aboard dead," Isik said in his message, according to a statement from the ministry.
Isik also expressed his condolences to the families and the people of Russia.
The aircraft was en route to Syria’s Latakia to take part in a New Year's concert.
Among the 92 people onboard the crashed plane, eight were crew members, the Russian defense ministry said in a statement.
The ministry confirmed that there were also nine journalists along with musicians from the Red Army Choir, or the Alexandrov Ensemble.