Tragedy Strikes: Russian Plane Crash Reported
This is the third incident involving a Sukhoi Superjet 100 since its introduction in 2012.
A Russian passenger plane, with only crew members aboard, has crashed near Moscow, according to the country’s emergency ministry.
The Sukhoi Superjet 100 crashed in a forested area, and all three crew members are feared to have died. There were no passengers on board at the time of the incident.
State-run Russian media reports indicate that the crash occurred during a test flight following recent repair work.
The Sukhoi Superjet 100, a regional jet developed by Russia, was designed to replace Western-made aircraft in the country’s fleet.
Amid ongoing sanctions due to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has faced challenges in replacing its aging aircraft.
The emergency ministry confirmed the crash took place in a forested region, with no reported casualties among civilians.
Transport prosecutors revealed that the plane went down near Kolomna, a town south of Moscow.
The aircraft was owned by Gazprom Avia, the airline associated with Russia’s energy giant, Gazprom.
A criminal investigation has been initiated. Rostech, Russia’s state-owned defense conglomerate, confirmed that the aircraft entered service in 2014 and urged caution in drawing conclusions regarding the cause of the crash.
This is the third incident involving a Sukhoi Superjet 100 since its introduction in 2012.
The Superjet program has faced significant setbacks, including engineering challenges and delays in production, particularly in replacing critical Western avionics components.