Russia’s transport minister said Monday during a press conference that pilot error or a technical fault is likely to be the cause of Sunday’s plane crash over the Black Sea.

All 84 passengers and eight crew members on the Russian military’s Tu-154 plane are believed to have died when it crashed two minutes after taking off in good weather from Sochi. The passengers included dozens of singers in Russia’s world-famous military choir.

Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov said in televised remarks that investigators are looking into a possible pilot error or a technical fault and that a terrorist attack was not among the main theories.

More than 3,000 rescue workers, including 100 divers flown in from across Russia, scoured the waters for victims at the crash site, the Defense Ministry said. Helicopters, drones and submersibles were being used to help spot bodies and debris. Powerful spotlights were also being brought in so workers can search throughout the night.

Some plane fragments were found about 1 mile off shore and by Sunday evening about 11 bodies were recovered and fragments of bodies were also found.

Source: Petra