Air Transport

All 88 passengers and crew members on board an Aeroflot-Nord Boeing 737-500 have died after the aircraft crashed on approach to Perm in Russia.

The jet was operating flight SU821 from Moscow to Perm.

Aeroflot states that the accident happened at 03:10 Moscow standard time.

It says that, while the aircraft was on approach to land, at an altitude of about 1,100m (3,600ft), contact was lost.

©AP Photo/Komsomolskaya Pravda-Perm

"The aircraft was found in the city of Perm, completely destroyed," it adds. It was carrying 82 passengers, two pilots and four cabin crew.

Weather data for Perm at the time shows light rain, low overcast cloud but moderately good visibility.

Russia's Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK) has been appointed to investigate the crash and has sent specialists to the scene.

Aeroflot-Nord is a division of the Russian flag-carrier based in Archangelsk. It has been modernising its fleet with Boeing 737s but also operates Tupolev Tu-134s, Tu-154s and Antonov turboprops.

• Map of Perm and Ural Mountains

• PICTURES: More images from the crash on AirSpace soon

• VIDEO: Source - Russia Today