At least 44 people have been killed after a passenger jet crashed in north-west Russia, a government spokesman said.

The plane, reportedly carrying 52 people, including nine crew, crashed half a mile from the runway outside the northern city of Petrozavodsk at about 11.40pm local time on Monday. News agencies reported that eight people who survived the crash were seriously injured and taken to hospital.

There was no immediate explanation for the crash, but the Interfax news agency quoted the airport director Alexei Kuzmitsky as saying there were "unfavourable weather conditions".

The plane, a Russian-made Tu-134 jet, reportedly crashed on its final approach to the airport in Petrozavodsk, landing a few hundred yards short of the runway. Petrozavodsk is in the in the province of Karelia, 640km (400 miles) north-west of Moscow.

News agencies reported that Russian Premier League football referee Vladimir Pettaya was among the victims, as well as one Swedish national.