15 Feared Dead in Fresh Russian Military Plane Crash

A military transport plane, identified as an Ilyushin Il-76, met a catastrophic fate on Tuesday when it crashed due to an engine failure during take-off.

The crash occurred in the Ivanovo Region, approximately 250 kilometers east of Moscow, marking a tragic day for the Russian Defense Ministry and the nation.

The Ilyushin Il-76, a workhorse of the Russian military’s air transport fleet, was carrying 15 individuals at the time of the incident, which included eight crew members and seven passengers. The Defense Ministry disclosed this information, underscoring the gravity of the loss.

Eyewitness footage that has emerged online paints a harrowing picture of the aircraft’s final moments, showing the plane with flames visibly engulfing one of its four turbofan engines as it attempted to navigate through the sky. The pilot made a valiant effort to return to the Ivanovo Severny air base; however, fate had a different plan. In a last-ditch effort to avoid further catastrophe, the aircraft was steered away from a populated village, ultimately crashing near a cemetery.

The Ilyushin Il-76, which first took to the skies in 1971 and officially entered service with the military in 1974, has been a significant asset for military and humanitarian missions alike. With a production run that saw nearly 950 units by 2015, this heavy transport aircraft boasts a payload capacity of 47 tons. This capability allows it to airlift up to 140 paratroopers along with their gear, covering distances of up to 4,200 kilometers.