Death toll rises to 13 in Russian Su-34 fighter jet crash

The wreckage of a Russian Su-34 military jet lie at the crash site in the courtyard of a residential area in the town of Yeysk in southwestern Russia on Oct 17, 2022. (STRINGER / AFP)

MOSCOW – The death toll caused by the crash of a Russian Su-34 fighter jet in the city of Yeysk in Russia's Krasnodar region on Monday has risen to 13, TASS news agency reported.

The crew had reported that an engine caught fire during take-off. TASS reported that the plane burst into flames, spreading to a nine-story residential building nearby

Citing the Ministry of Emergency Situations, TASS reported that rescuers found 10 more bodies at the scene of the accident, raising the death toll to 13, including three children. Nineteen others were injured and sent to hospital for treatment. During the rescue process, 68 people were rescued, and 360 people were evacuated to safety.

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Earlier reports, citing the Russian Defense Ministry, said the aircraft collapsed while it was gaining altitude during a training flight from an airfield of the Southern Military District, and the pilots were able to eject safely before the crash.

The crew had reported that an engine caught fire during take-off. TASS reported that the plane burst into flames, spreading to a nine-story residential building nearby.

Fire engulfed several floors of the residential building where the aircraft crashed, and a total of 17 apartments were impacted. Ambulance crews were currently working at the site, according to Krasnodar region governor Veniamin Kondratiev.

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The fire reached an area of 2,000 square meters. Russian authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident.

source https://eastmud.com/latest-news/death-toll-rises-to-13-in-russian-su-34-fighter-jet-crash/