Two Russian airliner crashed almost simultaneously near Moscow, kiling at least 89 passengers and crew, officials said. One of the planes sent a hijack alarm before crashing.

     Authorities have found the wreckage of the Tu-154 airliner which went missing Tuesday, along with bodies of about 20 people in the Rostov region.

    An emergency official said the plane apparently had broken up in the air. Forty-four people including the crew on board were killed, the local government said.

   Earlier reports said the plane carried 38 passengers and eight crew members.

   Interfax reported that the Tu-154 sent a distress signal indicating an attack or hijacking just before it disappeared in southern Russia, but it later quoted an unnamed law enforcement source as saying that the signal was an SOS and no other signals were sent.

   Almost at the same time, a passenger jet Tu-134 crashed in the Tula region south of Moscow, killing all the 35 passengers and eight crew on board.

   The Tupolev aircraft was en route from Moscow to Russia's southern city of Volgograd when it disappeared from radar screens at about 23:00 Moscow time (1900 GMT) Tuesday.  

   The ministry said flight recorders of both planes have been found.