Crash investigators hunt for Russia air disaster black box

Investigators are searching through the remains of an airliner that crashed on the banks of the Volga River, killing 43 people including most of one of Russia's premier hockey teams.

They hope to recover flight recorders which could provide key information explaining why the Yak-42 crashed just after it took off from the Yaroslavl airport yesterday.

The Interstate Aviation Committee says the recorders are believed to be in the tail section of the jet, which is partly submerged in the river.

The victims included 36 players, coaches and officials of Yaroslavl Lokomotiv, a team in the Kontinental Hockey League.

On Thursday morning, hundreds of local residents gathered at the city's Russian Orthodox cathedral to mourn the victims. Many of them wore team scarves, some of the women using them as head wraps.