A Russian military transport plane carrying 15 people crashed on takeoff from a western Russian air base, the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
According to the ministry, the ill-fated Il-76 plane, which carried eight crew members and seven passengers, crashed in the Ivanovo district. The ministry’s statement did not confirm the existence of any survivors.
Preliminary investigations by the ministry suggest that an engine fire during take-off likely precipitated the crash
The crash occurred during what was supposed to be a routine flight from the airfield.
Moscow confirmed the crash site to be in the Ivanovo region, approximately 200 kilometres east of the capital.
In a statement relayed by Russian news agencies, the Defence Ministry stated, “An Il-76 military transport plane crashed in the Ivanovo region while taking off to perform a scheduled flight. On board were eight crew members and seven passengers.”
