A Russian jet carrying a top local ice hockey team has crashed in the western part of the country, killing at least 43 people.

The Emergency Situations Ministry says the Yak-42 passenger plane crashed immediately after take-off Wednesday from the city of Yaroslavl, about 240 kilometers northeast of Moscow. The ministry says the plane was carrying 45 people — 37 passengers and eight crew members.

The hockey team was heading to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, for its opening game of the 2011-2012 season. The plane was carrying a number of foreign hockey players, including three from the Czech Republic.

The crash is the latest in a series of fatal plane disasters and transportation accidents that have prompted Russian leaders to order a review of the country's infrastructure and safety measures.