25 December 2016, 20:44 GMT
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Early on Sunday, the Russian Defense Ministry's Tu-154 plane heading from Moscow to Syria with 92 people on board, including the Alexandrov Ensemble members, and nine journalists, disappeared from radar shortly after refueling and take-off from the Russian southern city of Adler, near Sochi. Fragments of the plane were discovered 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) from the sea shore of Sochi at a depth of 50-70 meters (164-184 feet).
"On my behalf and on behalf of the Polish people I would like to convey my condolences to the Russian people, primarily to the families of the victims," Duda said in a message to Putin.
Duda added that the death of the Alexandrov Ensemble members who were on board of the plane, was "irretrievable loss for Russian culture."
Technical malfunction or pilot error could be among the reasons of the accident, a source in security service told RIA Novosti.
