Moscow: A total of 333 survivors of the Moscow hostage drama were released from hospitals by October 29 morning, health officials said as quoted by the ITAR-TASS news agency.

According to hospital officials, 311 people remain in medical care, but some of them, including nine children, could be released on October 29 or 30 if their medical tests showed good results.

Among the former hostages, 16 people were still in critical condition.

Of some 800 people taken hostage by Chechens who stormed a Moscow theatre late on October 23 to demand an immediate halt to the war in Chechnya, two were killed by the hostage-takers and 115 more succumbed to gas used by Russian troops in the rescue operation on October 26.