Russian state-run media reports say at least 13 people died yesterday evening as a Russian SU-34 fighter-bomber aircraft crashed into a residential building in the city of Yeysk during a training flight.
Citing Russia’s Defense Ministry, RIA Novosti reported that the incident was due to one of the engines catching fire.
“According to the report of the ejected pilots, the cause of the plane crash was the ignition of one of the engines during take-off. At the site of the crash of the Su-34 in the courtyard of one of the residential quarters, the plane’s fuel ignited,” the ministry was cited as saying in the statement.
Both pilots reportedly managed to eject.
RIA Novosti reported that 13 bodies, including those of three children, were removed from the debris as of Tuesday morning, according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Earlier state media reports said at least 25 people were injured.
Yeysk is a port town on the shore of the Sea of Azov.
Russian President Vladimir Putin told authorities to provide all necessary assistance to the victims of the crash, the Kremlin said in a statement, adding that Putin has received reports from the ministers and the head of the region on the situation.
According to the prosecutor’s office of the Krasnodar Krai region and the military prosecutor’s office of the Southern Military District, an investigation was launched into the incident,
The fire, which raged through more than a dozen apartments in the multistory building, was later contained.
Citing government security services, TASS says about 100 people have been evacuated from the building.
The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations told RIA Novosti the area of the fire caused by the crash was 2,000 square meters wide.
