The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia expressed regret and condolences over plane crash in Russia, killing 43 people.

Plane carrying Russia's major league ice hockey team, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, crashed on September 7 shortly after taking off from the Tunoshna airport outside Yaroslavl.

All 11 foreign citizens on board the plane, Yak-42, were killed, including the team's Canadian coach, as well as Swedish, Czech, Latvian and Slovak players.

The Georgian Ice Hockey National Federation has sent a letter of condolence to the President of Ice Hockey Federation of Russia saying: “Our thoughts and prayers are with family and friends of the victims.”

International Ice Hockey Federation President Rene Fasel described the plane crush as “a terrible tragedy for the global ice hockey community”, calling it “the darkest day in the history of our sport."