Thousands gather to mourn Russian hockey team after plane crash

Sep 10, 2011, 7:46 GMT

Moscow - Thousands gathered in the Russian city of Yaroslavl Saturday to say farewell to members of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl ice hockey team killed in a plane crash Wednesday.

The ceremony marked the official end of a three-day mourning period for the 43 dead, many of them players or staff from the top-level professional ice hockey team.

Fans, friends and family had been bringing flowers to the Arena 2000 hall since the early morning and lighting candles, reported Russian television. Coffins were arrayed on the arena's artificial ice.

Images showed mourners, some in tears, others in silent mourning. Many were wearing the team's jersey.

There was also a military honour guard.

The dead included national players and victims from other countries, including Germany, the Czech Republic, Belarus and Ukraine. Separate burial ceremonies were planned in those countries. Although, in some cases, those ceremonies might be delayed while authorities try to identify the remains.

Meanwhile, in Moscow, doctors were continuing to fight for the lives of two crash survivors. Player Aleksandr (Sanya) Galimov remained in critical condition, hospital officials said. Treatment was also ongoing for a member of the team's staff.

Taking off Wednesday from an airport outside Yaroslavl, the Soviet Yak-42 passenger plane failed to gain altitude and clipped a runway antenna before crashing and breaking apart.