2 pilots killed as Russia war plane crashes in Syria

A Russian fighter jet crashed into the sea off a port city in Syria on 3 May 2018 [MOHAMMED GHORAB/Twitter]

The Russian military said a Sukhoi-30 multi-role fighter jet crashed in Syria today, killing both of its pilots, Russian news agencies reported.

The agencies, citing a defence ministry statement, said the jet had crashed after taking off and was not shot down.

“According to preliminary information, the cause of the crash could have been a bird hitting the engine,” Interfax quoted the ministry as saying.

Russia leases the Khmeimim air base in the coastal Latakia where it maintains fighter jets and bombers involved in a nearly three-year military campaign in support of the Syrian government.

Read: Russia says no decision yet on delivery of S-300 missiles to Syria

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