Russia Crash Flight Recorders Too Wet to Decode, Officials Say. Yak Service Yakovlev Yak-42, RA-42434. Yaroslavl.

YAROSLAVL, Russia -- Wet data recorders are hampering the probe into the deadly plane crash in Russia earlier this week that claimed the lives of 43 passengers, including many top pro hockey players. Two passengers, one a hockey player and the other a crew member, were both in critical condition Friday, according to the International Business Times.

The problem, officials at the Interstate Aviation Committee say, is that the magnetic tapes holding the flight information are still wet and investigators can't begin to decipher them until after they've dried-out. At this stage, the cause of crash has not been determined.

As a precaution, Russian aviation authorities are now running checks on all the Yak-42 jets currently in service. It's thought that around 60 of the planes are still being flown commercially.

One interesting line of investigation is the locally-produced fuel used at Yaroslavl. For now, all planes are barred from using it.

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