The family of a Briton who died when a Russian passenger plane crashed while trying to land have spoken of their sense of loss.
Mother-of-two Donna Bull, 53, was among the 50 people who died as the Boeing 727 was reportedly attempting a second landing at Kazan Airport in Tatarstan when it hit the ground and caught fire at around 7.20pm on Sunday.
CCTV footage from the airport appears to show the plane in an almost vertical position as it crashed into the ground..embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; padding-top: 30px; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }
https://youtube.com/watch?v=vgGHrMJuxRs
Ms Bull’s widower Robert Crome answered the door at the family home in Cambridge but he was too distraught to talk after being told the news late on Sunday night.
He later issued a statement, saying it was a “very difficult and emotional time” for the family as they tried to come to terms with the shock and loss.
He said: “Donna was a wonderful mother to George and Kate, kind, thoughtful and caring to her family and her many friends.
“She was also a dedicated and hard-working professional, as a teacher and educationalist, so her students will all miss her greatly. Words are inadequate to express our grief and loss.
“We hope the UK and Russian authorities can help to ease any administrative difficulties. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to all those families in Russia who too have lost their loved ones in this tragedy.”
Foreign Secretary William Hague expressed his condolences, saying: “My thoughts are with the friends and family of those involved.
“We are providing consular assistance to the family of the British national whose death has now sadly been confirmed and our British Embassy in Moscow will remain in close contact with the Russian authorities as they respond to this tragedy.”
Ms Bull, who had been travelling to Kazan for a 10-day marketing trip, was “a very popular and well-respected member of staff” at Bellerbys College in Cambridge.