MOSCOW: One person died – apparently of a heart attack – and 18 peoplesought medical help when a plane skidded off a runway in Russia’s Olympiccity of Sochi, slid into a river and caught fire during landing earlySaturday, officials said.
The Boeing 737 flying from Moscow with 166 passengers and six crew membersovershot a runway as it attempted to land in the Black Sea resort city ofSochi, damaged a wing and caught fire.
“As a result of the crash landing at Sochi airport 18 sought medical help,”regional health authorities said. The injured included three children, saidinvestigators, who opened a criminal probe.
During the rescue operation an airport employee died, possibly of a heartattack, a spokesperson for the Sochi Airport told *AFP* in a statement.
Sixteen ambulance crews worked at the scene, authorities said, adding thatthe fire had been put out.
The plane was operated by the Utair airline.
Sochi hosted the Winter Olympic Games in 2014.