MOSCOW — A Russian military transport plane crashed over the Crimean Peninsula late Wednesday, killing all 29 people on board, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, according to Anadolu.
The An-26 aircraft was carrying 23 passengers and six crew members when it vanished from radar during what officials described as a routine flight over Crimea on March 31 at around 6 p.m. Moscow time.
“Communication with the aircraft was lost,” the ministry said in a statement. Search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the area. Hours later, wreckage from the plane was found scattered across a rural stretch of the peninsula. There were no survivors.
Military investigators have begun examining the crash site. Early reports suggest that the plane suffered a technical malfunction, though officials said they have found no sign of external damage or hostile action. A special commission from the Defense Ministry is working to determine the precise cause.
The An-26, a twin-engine turboprop first introduced during the Soviet era, has long been used by Russia for transport missions, training flights, and cargo operations. The model has a record of mechanical wear, and several have been involved in accidents in recent years.
Crimea, a region annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014, remains a heavily militarized zone, making air operations frequent and high-risk. Wednesday’s crash adds to a growing list of Russian military aviation tragedies that have claimed dozens of lives over the past year.
As news of the disaster spread, officials voiced condolences to the families of the victims. State media aired footage of emergency crews searching through debris under dim light, a quiet testimony to yet another loss in a region long shadowed by conflict and consequence.__Photo Courtesy X
