Russian officials will today begin investigating the crash of Sibir airlines flight 778 yesterday that killed at least 124 people.
The Russian Airbus A-310, on a domestic flight from Moscow, failed to stop when it landed in the Siberian city of Irkutsk yesterday and veered off the runway, crashing into a building and bursting into flames.
Investigators hope the plane's "black box" flight recorders, which were flown to Moscow late last night, will yield information about what caused the crash that killed more than half of the 204 people on board.
At least 55 people remain in hospital being treated for burns, trauma and the effects of smoke inhalation. The fate of 12 passengers was unknown.
Many of those on board were children, including 14 pre-teen children, flying for holidays on Lake Baikal, a popular Siberian spot in summer, media reported.
Interfax news agency said that measures to identify the bodies of 124 people killed in the crash would begin this morning.
President Vladimir Putin declared today a day of mourning.