Russia: Military plane crashes with 15 people on board, says Defense Ministry

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I amAccording to the Moscow Defense Ministry, Russia has once again crashed an Ilyushin Il-76 military transport plane – this time in the Ivanovo region. The plane was carrying 15 people, including eight crew members and seven passengers, the ministry told Russian agency Interfax in Moscow on Tuesday. The fate of the prisoners was initially unknown. During take off, one of the four engines caught fire.

The cause of the fire was not initially reported. Experts go to the accident site and investigate the cause. Russian media reported that the cause of the crash was a bird strike during takeoff. It indicates collision with birds. And modern machines must withstand the impact of birds weighing at least a few kilograms without serious damage and are tested in this regard.

According to reports in Russian media, the pilot of the military transport attempted to make an emergency landing. Footage of the plane burning in the air has gone viral on social media. During the flight, the plane loses one of its four engines. After a while, Ilyushin's model crashes.

The crash comes just weeks after a similar cargo plane crashed in Russia's Belgorod, 50 kilometers north of the Ukrainian border. On January 24, all 74 people on board were killed. The cause of the accident is still unclear. A possible cause could be gunshot wounds. There are different representations from the Russian and Ukrainian sides. There were 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war on board, but this has not been independently confirmed.