Search For Russian Jet’s Wreckage Using Helicopters, Planes And Boats Produces No New Leads

Authorities searching for the wreckage of a plane in Russia’s Far East used helicopters, planes and ships Tuesday, but turned up no new leads five days after the jet disappeared.

Yekaterina Glebova of Moscow’s Emergency Situations Ministry said workers thought a satellite photograph showed evidence of what could be the tail and other scattered debris from the plane along its flight route.

But search efforts Tuesday by 13 helicopters, two planes, 10 ships and landing parties of rescuers again failed to turn up a trace of the Tupolev-154, she said.

The plane, carrying 97 people, went off radar screens while traveling in darkness Thursday morning from Sakhalin Island to Khabarovsk on the mainland.

Baffled authorities have turned to residents, hunters and even a psychic in hopes of a lead.

After viewing satellite photos, authorities have selected two spots for base camps that rescuers will use while making on-foot and helicopter searches, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported. The focus area is northeast of the Sukpai River, east of Khabarovsk and near the Pacific coast.