oleg, 54 years old, was part of a german opera country based in the city. both internationally known singers. the opera world mourning the loss of the performers, both professionally and personally. i broke the news to the ensemb ensemble, and we had a pea anna direction rehearsal of aida. i summoned everyone to the stage and told them the tragic news. and they were stunned. people started crying. so that we couldn t go on with the rehearsal. reporter: three americans were also on board the flight. two of them mother and daughter. emily selkey, a recent college graduate, of traveling with her mother, yvonne, a u.s. government contractor. emily of a music industry major in college who graduated with honors. she recently worked with a company that provides office spaces. emily s distraught father told
what authorities describe as good weather conditions. a lot of questions as to why it plunged into the water body. this is very much a christmas day tragedy onboard, where a few soldiers. nine russian journalists. many very young, and more than 60 members of the world-famous ensemb ensemble. this is the official choir of the armed forces. there were singers onboard, dancers, performers, heading to the russian military base in syria in order to perform in a new year s celebration. instead, their stunned families have funerals to plan. there was one couple who was planning their wedding next month. another married couple left behind a three-year-old boy. there was also a famous russian human rights worker onboard, bringing medical supplies to a hospital in syria, and putin declaring today a day of mourning as the search effort continues.