Kerala couple among dead in Russia plane crash

A couple from near Perumbavoor in Kerala was among the 62 people killed on Saturday in a plane crash in Russia's Rostov-on-Don city, officials said.

The FlyDubai Boeing 737-800 from Dubai missed the runway as it attempted to land at 3.50 a.m.

The couple -- Shyam Mohan and his wife K.A. Anju, both aged 27 -- worked in an ayurvedic resort in Russia and had left from here on Thursday.

C.V. Issac, a resident of Vengoal in Perumbavoor, who reached the home of the Mohans told IANS it was around 2 p.m. that they got the tragic news of the air crash.

"Both of them are trained ayurveda nurses and their marriage took place here on November 2, 2014. It was their first visit (to Kerala) after they both went to Russia. They were here for a month and they left for Dubai from here on Thursday afternoon," said Issac.

Anju has been working in Russia since 2011 and it was after their marriage in 2014 that Mohan also joined her.

Local legislator Saju Paul told IANS that Mohan's residence was in his constituency and he was reaching there soon.

"His father is a carpenter and Mohan was the mainstay of his family, so was Anju, whose father passed away," the legislator said.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told IANS that he spoke to Mohan's father and has assured all help to see how best the state government can help the grieving families.

"I will speak to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj seeking her help to see what can be done," added Chandy.