The Russian Defense Ministry announced today that an An-26 military transport aircraft lost contact at 6 PM Moscow time while flying a scheduled route over the Crimea peninsula.

Search teams located the crashed An-26. All 6 crew members and 23 passengers on board died. Authorities suspect a technical malfunction caused the crash, as there were no signs of external impact.

A TASS news agency source reported the An-26 struck a cliff.

The An-26 is a multi-role transport aircraft developed by the Antonov Design Bureau, first flying in 1969. It can carry up to 50 passengers. Russian media describe the aircraft as highly reliable, easy to operate, and capable of functioning in harsh conditions, including taking off and landing on unpaved runways.

The An-26 military transport aircraft flying in Rostov-on-Don, Russia in 2020. *RIA Novosti*

Production of the An-26 ceased in 1986, but it remains in use for both military and civilian purposes. In 1/2024, two Russian airlines specializing in harsh weather operations, Angara Airlines and Polar Airlines, requested the government extend the operational life of their An-26 and An-24 aircraft until replacements become available.

However, Angara Airlines CEO Sergei Zorin stated that there are currently no replacement options for these aircraft in the Russian market.

China continues to produce a domestic version of the An-26 series, the Y-7. This variant is manufactured at a factory in Xian and uses domestically produced engines. Russia has previously explored the possibility of purchasing replacement parts for Soviet-era aircraft from China.

Pham Giang (According to AFP, Lenta, TASS)