Credited from: SCMP
A Russian An-26 military transport plane crashed into a cliff in Crimea on March 31, killing 29 individuals on board, as reported by the Russian Defense Ministry. All victims comprised six crew members and 23 passengers, with no survivors found, according to SCMP, IndiaTimes, BBC, and AA.
The crash occurred during a planned flight when communication was lost at approximately 6 PM local time. Russian news agencies reported that the crash site was located afterward, with initial assessments indicating that technical issues likely caused the incident. The ministry reiterated that there were no signs of external impacts, such as missiles or drones, being involved, according to IndiaTimes, BBC, and AA.
The An-26, which has been in service since the late 1960s, has a history of fatal incidents worldwide, leading to concerns about its continued operation. Recent statistics indicate it has faced a series of accidents in various regions, raising questions about aviation safety for such older models, according to SCMP and BBC.