Russian transport plane crashes in Syria killing 32 aboard

A Russian transport plane crashed in Syria killing all 32 of us on board and the airplane reportedly wasn’t shot down, the defence ministry acknowledged.

The Antonov-26 airplane crashed at Russia’s Khmeimim airbase in Latakia province on Tuesday, Russian media quoted the ministry as asserting.

Preliminary data instructed the break may well well also merely were triggered by a technical fault. The airplane hit the floor about 500 metres short of the runway, the ministry acknowledged.

Twenty-six passengers and six crew members were on the airplane when it went down at about 3pm Moscow time (12:00GMT).

The Khmeimim airbase is the predominant situation for Russia’s navy campaign in Syria. The plane reportedly didn’t intention under fire. 

« No person survived, » the ministry’s commentary acknowledged. « Basically essentially based mostly on experiences from the scene, no fire became delivered in opposition to the plane. »

Russia’s air power has played a actually worthy feature in the seven-twelve months battle after it began operations in September 2015 in toughen of President Bashar al-Assad’s govt.

Russia’s air strength turned the tide in the battle in Assad’s favour.

Russian President Vladimir Putinordered « a vital allotment » of Moscow’s navy contingent at Khmeimim to launch withdrawing in December, declaring their work largely completed. But casualties proceed to mount.

Russian plane break in Latakia [Al Jazeera]