Russian military plane crashes in Crimea, killing 29 people
CBS News • • general
Key Points:
- A Russian An-26 military transport plane crashed into a cliff in annexed Crimea, killing six crew members and 23 passengers, according to Russian Defense Ministry reports.
- The plane lost contact around 6 p.m. on Tuesday during a scheduled flight over the Crimean Peninsula, and a search is ongoing in the mountainous Bakhchisarai district.
- Russia's Investigative Committee has launched a criminal investigation into possible flight regulation violations, while a suspected technical malfunction is considered the likely cause of the crash.
- This incident adds to a series of frequent Russian military plane crashes since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, including crashes in various Russian regions and near the Ukrainian border.
- Crimea, where the crash occurred, was annexed by Russia in 2014 and is administered as part of Russia despite international disputes.
