Dozens Feared Dead In Russia Air Crash

The FlyDubai Boeing 737-800, coming from Dubai, missed the
runway as it attempted to land at 03:50 local time (00:50 GMT) on Saturday.

It is not clear what caused the crash but poor visibility
and high winds are being considered as a factor. There were reports of a fire
or an explosion on board also.

Reports say the plane abandoned its initial attempt to land
and circled for two hours before crashing at the second attempt. It came down
about 250m (800ft) short of the start of the runway in Rostov, some 950km (600
miles) south of Moscow.

Most of the passengers on board flight FZ981 were Russian,
the regional governor said. Another official said three foreigners were on the
passenger list.

A CCTV video showed what appeared to be a plane landing at
the airport before being engulfed in a huge fire.

About 700 rescue workers were sent to the site of the crash
and the fire was extinguished.

A search is under way for the plane’s flight recorders and
an investigation has been opened into the cause of the crash. Other flights
have been diverted away from the airport.

In a statement on its Facebook page, the airliner confirmed
the “tragic accident” and said an emergency response has been put in
place.

Boeing said on Twitter its team was working to gather more
details.

FlyDubai, a low cost carrier launched in 2009 with a hub in
Dubai, operates flights to some 90 destinations.