Russian authorities say at least 43 people are dead, including members of a professional hockey team, after a plane crash in Yaroslavl. According to the Associated Press, the plane was carrying the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team of the Kontinental Hockey League to a game in Minsk, Belarus.

NHL.com reports the agent for former NHL player Pavol Demitra has confirmed that Demitra was killed in the crash.  Demitra spent most of his career with the St. Louis Blues and Vancouver Canucks.  He also played for the Los Angeles Kings in the 2005-2006 season.  Other players and coaches on Lokomotiv with NHL ties include: Karel Rachunek, Karlis Skrastins, Josef Vasicek, Alexander Vasyunov, Igor Koralev, Alexander Karpovtsev and Brad McCrimmon.  Former Anaheim Duck Ruslan Salei is also on the team but it is unclear at this time if Salei was on the plane.

Lokomotiv team spokesman Vladimir N. Malkov said this about the crash, “we have no team anymore.  All our starting players, and all the service people, they all burned in the crash.”

There are initial reports that two people survived the crash including player Alexander Galimov

Officials say the crash occurred soon after take-off and that weather is not believed to be a factor.  Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin sent Russia’s transport minister to the site to lead the investigation.