30 killed in Russian military plane crash

Russian news agency TASS reported that 30 people were killed when a Russian military AN-26 cargo plane crashed at 6:00 p.m. local time on Tuesday.

The plane was flying over the disputed territory of Crimea when it lost contact with the military. After that, the search and rescue team found the accident site after some time.

According to preliminary information, the plane crashed after hitting a mountain rock. No one was found alive in the incident, Taas wrote citing sources.

There were 7 crew members and 23 passengers on board.

Cargo planes carry soldiers, personnel, technicians, and sometimes government employees. The identity of those killed in Tuesday’s accident has not been released.

The initial cause of the accident is believed to be a technical fault. The Russian Defense Ministry said an investigation had begun.

The ministry also said that it is believed that there was no external attack or interference in the plane.

The AN-26 is a military transport turboprop aircraft of Soviet design, used for various military and logistical purposes.

Published: Wednesday, March 18, 2082 15:15