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NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s leading online newspaper. Published by Africa’s international award-winning journalist, Mr. Isaac Umunna, NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s first truly professional online daily newspaper. It is published from Lagos, Nigeria’s economic and media hub, and has a provision for occasional special print editions. Thanks to our vast network of sources and dedicated team of professional journalists and contributors spread across Nigeria and overseas, NEWS EXPRESS has become synonymous with newsbreaks and exclusive stories from around the world.
Russian President Vladmir Putin
A Russian military plane has disappeared from radar just minutes after take-off from the Black Sea resort of Sochi, local media have said.
They quoted a source at the emergency ministry as saying the missing aircraft was a Tu-154.
The country’s defence ministry later confirmed its plane was missing, adding that 91 people were on board, Russia’s news agencies said.
Unconfirmed reports said the plane was flying to Syria’s Latakia province.
Interfax news agency reports quoted the emergency ministry source as saying the plane disappeared from radar 20 minutes after taking off from Sochi’s Adler airport at 05:20 local time (02:20 GMT).
The aircraft went missing as it was manoeuvring over Russia's territorial waters, the source added.
Local news agencies later quoted Russia’s defence ministry as saying that 83 passengers and eight crew were on board the plane.
Reports suggest a military music band and reporters were among those on board the aircraft.
A search operation was now under way, Russia’s state-run Rossiya24 TV channel said.
