MOSCOW, December 5 (RAPSI) – Prosecutors have given up their claim to reconsider a case over a TU-154 military plane crash near Sochi in December 2016 that resulted in the death of over 90 people, the victims' lawyer Igor Trunov has told RAPSI.

However, relatives of the victims keep pushing for retrial and granting of their compensation claims in full. Their cassation appeal will be heard by the Second Cassation Court on January 13.

The plane, which was carrying out a planned flight to Syria with 8 crew members and 84 passengers on board including journalists, musicians from the famous Alexandrov military ensemble and Elizaveta Glinka, widely known as Doctor Liza, the Fair Aid charity executive director and the inaugural winner of Russia's state prize for achievements in human rights, crashed into the Black Sea on December 25, 2016. The aircraft refueled at Adler’s airport and shortly after disappeared from radars.  No one survived in the crash.

According to investigators, 156 persons have become victims in the case. Results of 356 forensic medical, 1 phonoscopic, 3 explosive and 23 molecular genetic examinations have been received. There are about 100 witnesses in the case, the Investigative Committee said earlier.