29 Killed in Military Plane Crash in Crimea

A Russian military transport aircraft crashed in Crimea, killing all 29 people on board. The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the incident early Wednesday (April 1), stating that contact with the aircraft was lost during a routine flight.

According to reports from AFP and the Tass News Agency, the An-26 model aircraft went down near a mountain peak close to the Black Sea. The victims include six crew members and 23 passengers.

Incident Details
The Ministry of Defense reported that the aircraft vanished from radar around 8:00 PM Moscow time on March 31 while conducting a scheduled flight over the Crimean peninsula.

Fatalities: 29 (6 crew, 23 passengers)

Survivors: None reported

Location: Mountainous region near the Black Sea, Crimea

Preliminary Findings
The RIA news agency cited preliminary investigation results suggesting that the crash was caused by a technical malfunction. While the total passenger capacity was not explicitly detailed, authorities confirmed there were no survivors at the crash site.

History of the An-26
The An-26 is a twin-engine turboprop military transport aircraft that has been in service since the 1960s. Primarily used for hauling cargo and personnel, the model has a history of fatal incidents:

2022: An An-26 crashed in Ukraine, resulting in one death.

2020: A crash in Ukraine killed 26 people, with only one miraculous survivor.

South Sudan: A Russian-operated An-26 crashed, killing eight people (including five Russians).

2017: An incident in Ivory Coast claimed 10 lives.

Russian aviation authorities have launched a formal investigation into this latest disaster to determine the exact nature of the technical failure.