KAZAN, November 18, /ITAR-TASS/. The identification of 50 bodies of those killed in Sunday’s plane crash at Kazan airport may take several weeks, head of the Volga Transport Investigation Department of Russia’s Investigative Committee (SK) Aleksander Poltinin told reporters on Monday.

“The bodies’ fragments will be taken to a Kazan morgue where the identification procedure will be carried out with the participation of the relatives,” Poltinin said. “DNA tests will be conducted where the identification by relatives is not possible.”

He also said that “the plane fell almost vertically between the runway and taxiway.” “There was a big explosion as a result,” the investigator said. The fire extinguishing efforts continued throughout the night.

“Judging by the experience of similar tragedies, such as the Perm tragedy, the identification takes several weeks,” Poltinin added. “The bodies’ fragments are quite small, plus they are burned by the fire.”

The investigation team is working at the scene together with representatives of the Interstate Aviation Committee. The plane’s flight recorders have already been found.

Investigators have seized all documents of Tatarstan Airlines on the plane’s technical condition and on the pilots’ training.