Twenty-nine people killed in Russian military plane crash over Crimea

Moscow: Twenty-nine people have perished after a Russian military aircraft crashed over the Crimean Peninsula, which lies on the Black Sea coast.

Officials from Russia’s Ministry of Defense announced today that search and rescue teams have located the wreckage of the aircraft, confirming that six crew members and twenty-three passengers were killed in the disaster.

According to preliminary reports, the crash is believed to have been caused by a technical malfunction, with no indication of external factors having played a role.

The Ministry of Defense had earlier reported losing contact with the AN-26 aircraft, though it refrained from disclosing further details regarding the flight.

The Antonov turboprop is commonly utilized by the Russian military as a transport aircraft.