Russian airliner crashes near Moscow after takeoff; 71 dead

MOSCOW » A Russian passenger plane carrying 71 people crashed Sunday near Moscow, killing everyone aboard shortly after the jet took off from one of the city’s airports.

The Saratov Airlines regional jet disappeared from radar screens a few minutes after departing from Domodedovo Airport en route to Orsk, a city some 1,000 miles southeast of Moscow.

Fragments from the twin-engine Antonov An-148 airliner were found in the Ramenskoye area, about 25 miles from the airport. State television footage showed the pieces strewn across a snowy field. No one on the ground was reported hurt.

State news agency Tass said the plane, which had been flying since 2010, was out of service for two years because of a shortage of parts.

Russian news reports said the jet carried 65 passengers and six crew members. Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov confirmed that there were no survivors but did not give the number of people on board.