29 Killed as Russian An-26 Crashes in Crimea

A Russian Antonov-26 military transport aircraft crashed over the Crimean Peninsula on Tuesday evening, killing all 29 people on board, according to Russia’s defence ministry, as reported by the TASS news agency.

The ministry said contact with the aircraft was lost at around 18:00 Moscow time while it was on a scheduled flight.

“On 31 March at around 18:00 Moscow time, contact was lost with the An-26 military transport aircraft whilst it was on a scheduled flight over the Crimean Peninsula,” the defence ministry said.

29 Killed as Russian An-26 Crashes in Crimea. Credit: Reuters

A search and rescue team later located the wreckage and confirmed that the six crew members and 23 passengers had died.

“The search and rescue team has located the crash site of the An-26 aircraft. According to reports from the scene, the six crew members and 23 passengers on board were killed,” the ministry said.

Preliminary reports indicate no external impact on the plane, suggesting a technical failure may have caused the crash, the ministry added.

Author

Jimisayo Opanuga

Jimisayo Opanuga is a web writer in the Digital Department at News Central TV, where she covers African and international stories. Her reporting focuses on social issues, health, justice, and the environment, alongside general-interest news. She is passionate about telling stories that inform the public and give voice to underreported communities.