A Russian An-26 military transport plane crashed into a cliff in Crimea on Tuesday, killing all 29 people on board, according to Russian news agencies citing the defence ministry.
The crash occurred around 18:00 Moscow time during a scheduled flight over the Crimean Peninsula. The defence ministry reported that contact with the aircraft was lost before it crashed into a cliff. The ministry confirmed 23 passengers and six crew members died, with no survivors.
Initial assessments suggest technical problems may have caused the crash, according to the RIA news agency. The An-26, a twin-engine turboprop, has been in service since the late 1960s and has been involved in several deadly incidents over the past decade.
Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, has been the site of heightened military activity. The defence ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
