On 6 March 2018 an Antonov An-26 transport aircraft crashed on approach to Khmeimim air base in Syria, killing all 39 people on board. All of them were servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces,[1] including Major-General Vladimir Yeremeyev.[2]
 A Russian Air Force Antonov An-26 similar to the one involved | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | 6 March 2018 |
| Summary | Loss of control on final approach |
| Site | Near Khmeimim Air Base, Syria |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Antonov An-26 |
| Operator | Russian Air Force |
| Registration | RF-92955 |
| Flight origin | Kuweires air base, Syria |
| Destination | Khmeimim air base, Syria |
| Occupants | 39 |
| Passengers | 33 |
| Crew | 6 |
| Fatalities | 39 |
| Survivors | 0 |
Accident edit
At about 14:00 local time (12:00 UTC) the Russian Antonov An-26 went down about 500 metres (1,640 ft) from the runway.[3] The preliminary cause was attributed to technical malfunction.[3] Based on reports from the location, the Russian Ministry of Defense ruled out the possibility that it was shot down.[4] The Investigative Committee of Russia and the Russian Military Prosecutor's Office opened criminal cases concerning the crash.
The Islamic militant group Jaysh al-Islam later claimed the responsibility for the crash; according to Ad-Diyar, five militants shot at the aircraft with heavy machine guns when it was 100 m from the ground. It was suggested that the claim might be false, as the group has made opportunistic claims in the past, as have some other groups.[5]
Aircraft edit
The accident aircraft was an Antonov An-26, registration RF-92955, msn 10107. It had first flown in 1980.[6] This accident is the fifteenth An-26 fatal crash in this decade with a total of 159 deaths, none of these flights were scheduled passenger airline operations.[7]
References edit
- ^ "В Минобороны РФ уточнили число погибших в авиакатастрофе Ан-26 в Сирии" (in Russian). Zvezda. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
- ^ "The Latest: UN official says Syria claims 'ridiculous'". Washington Post. 7 March 2018. Archived from the original on 7 March 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
- ^ a b "Russian plane crash in Syria 'kills 32'". BBC. 6 March 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
- ^ "Более тридцати человек погибли при крушении российского Ан-26 в Сирии" (in Russian). RIA Novosti. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
- ^ "Сирийская группировка заявила, что сбила Ан-26 у Хмеймима". Moskovsky Komsomolets (in Russian). Retrieved 7 March 2018.
- ^ "RF-92955 Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
- ^ Ranter, Harro. "Aviation Safety Network > ASN Aviation Safety Database > Type index > ASN Aviation Safety Database results". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 12 March 2018.