Russian Military Plane Crash in Crimea Kills 29, Defense Ministry Reports
An Antonov An-26 military transport crashed into a cliff in Crimea on Tuesday evening. Communication with the aircraft was lost at about 6 p.m. local time, officials said.
Search teams located the wreckage and reported 29 deaths. The victims included six crew members and 23 passengers.
Incident details
The aircraft was on a planned flight over the Crimean peninsula. The Defense Ministry reports the crash kills 29 people on board.
Investigators cited a suspected technical malfunction as the preliminary cause. Officials said there was no evidence of an external impact.
Official response and investigation
A military commission has been dispatched to the site to examine the wreckage. Authorities will assess flight data and maintenance records.
The ministry did not immediately respond to requests for further comment outside business hours. Local search-and-rescue teams secured the area around the crash site.
Aircraft background
The An-26 is a light tactical transport introduced in the late 1960s. It can carry cargo and roughly up to 40 passengers on short and medium routes.
The type has long served both military and civilian operators. It has, however, been involved in several fatal accidents over past years.
Past An-26 accidents
- 2022 — An An-26 crashed during a technical flight in Zaporizhzhia region, killing one person.
- 2020 — A training flight in northeastern Ukraine left all but one of 27 people dead.
- 2020 — An An-26 crash in South Sudan killed eight people, including five Russian nationals.
- 2017 — An An-26 crashed while landing in Ivory Coast, killing four of ten on board.
Geographic and political context
Crimea features sweeping mountains that descend to the Black Sea coast. The peninsula was annexed by Russia in 2014, a change not recognized by Ukraine and many other states.
Filmogaz.com will continue to follow official updates as investigators release more details. Further information is expected once the commission completes its on-site work.
