Russian Air Force An-26 Destroyed

A Russian Air Force Antonov An-26 transport aircraft crashed into a cliff in the Bakhchisarai mountains of occupied Crimea on March 31, killing all 29 people on board — six crew members and 23 passengers. Contact with the aircraft was lost at approximately 6:00 PM local time during a scheduled flight over the peninsula. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated the preliminary cause was a technical malfunction and ruled out hostile action. Search teams including military investigators and rescue workers located the wreckage in mountainous terrain approximately 25 kilometers east of Sevastopol.