The plane was carrying the Lokomotiv ice hockey team from Yaroslavl to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, where the team was to play Thursday against Dinamo Minsk in the opening game of the season for the Kontinental Hockey League. The ministry said the plane had 45 people on board, including 37 passengers and eight crew. But other reports put the number of crew at nine.
There were conflicting reports about the fates of at least two players. AFP reported Ruslan Salei, the hard-hitting former Red Wings defensemen, may have traveled to his native Belarus earlier. But Sovetsky Sport said Salei was on the casualty list.
In addition, player Alexander Galimov, who reportedly suffered burns over 90 percent of his body, was initially listed as a survivor, then reported dead, then reported by doctors as still alive but in very critical condition.
Estimates of the number of those aboard ranged from 45 to 47 with the league's official website saying 45.