This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/18/russia-military-aircraft-syria-jet-lost-contact

The article has changed 17 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 6 Version 7
Russia loses contact with military aircraft over Syria Russia loses contact with military aircraft off coast of Syria
(about 4 hours later)
Russia’s defence ministry has said that one if its military aircraft with 14 people on board has disappeared from radar screens over Syria. A Russian military aircraft with 14 people onboard has disappeared from radar over Syrian waters, the Russian defence ministry has said.
“Connection has been lost with the crew of a Russian Il-20 plane over the Mediterranean Sea 35 kilometres from the Syrian coast as it was returning to the Hmeimim airbase,” the Russian defence ministry said early on Tuesday. The fate of the military personnel was unknown, the ministry said, and a search for the plane initiated after contact was lost at about 11pm local time (2000 GMT) on Monday.
The fate of the military personnel is “unknown,” the ministry said in a statement which was carried by Russian news agencies. A search for the plane was underway. “Connection has been lost with the crew of a Russian Il-20 plane over the Mediterranean Sea 35km from the Syrian coast as it was returning to the Hmeimim airbase,” the ministry said early on Tuesday.
A search-and-rescue source told the Interfax news agency that the Russian warplane could have sunk in the Mediterranean Sea as a result of an “unforeseen critical incident” in the air. The incident occurred during an alleged Israeli attack against nearby targets on the coast. Syria said its anti-air batteries had fired at incoming missiles from the sea that were heading towards several locations in the coastal city of Latakia.
A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity to Reuters, said the US government believed Syrian defences may have accidentally shot down the Russian aircraft while firing at incoming Israeli missiles “The missiles were not fired by the US military and we have nothing further at this time,” a spokesperson for the Pentagon told the Guardian. “Air defences have confronted enemy missiles coming from the sea in the direction of the Latakia city, and intercepted a number of them,” the state news agency Sana quoted a military source as saying.
Russia’s Tass news agency quoted the ministry as saying in a statement: “The trace of the Il-20 on flight control radars disappeared during an attack by four Israeli F-16 jets on Syrian facilities in Latakia province. At the same time Russian air control radar systems detected rocket launches from the French frigate Auvergne which was located in that region.” A US official, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the US government believed Syrian defences may have accidentally shot down the Russian aircraft while firing at incoming Israeli missiles. Hmeimim airbase, the Russian-operated facility in Syria to which the missing plane was returning, is located south-east of Latakia city.
An Israeli military spokeswoman when asked about both the reported Israeli strike and the Russian plane said: “We don’t comment on foreign reports.” “The missiles were not fired by the US military and we have nothing further at this time,” a spokesperson for the Pentagon told the Guardian.
“The French army denies any involvement in this attack,” a French army spokesman said. The Russian defence ministry said radar contact was lost at the same time that Israeli and French forces were mounting aerial attacks on targets in Syria. France denied any involvement.
Reports of the downed plane came after missiles were fired from the sea at several locations in the Syrian coastal city of Latakia on Monday. Syrian state media said these were intercepted by air defences. The Israeli military said it did not comment on “foreign reports”. But for several years, Israel and Russia have maintained a special hotline to prevent their air forces from clashing in the skies over Syria. Israeli military officials have previously praised its effectiveness.
“Air defences have confronted enemy missiles coming from the sea in the direction of the Latakia city, and intercepted a number of them,” Sana quoted a military source as saying. A search-and-rescue source told the Russian Interfax news agency that the warplane could have sunk in the Mediterranean Sea as a result of an “unforeseen critical incident” in the air.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, said huge explosions were heard in the city, wounding more than 10 people, whom they identified as “regime forces and military personnel”. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based group that monitors the conflict, said huge explosions were heard in the Latakia on Monday night, wounding more than 10 people, whom they identified as “regime forces and military personnel”.
Russia’s military operation in Syria, which began in late 2015, has turned the tide of the conflict in favour of Moscow’s ally, Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, in his fight against rebels. Russia’s military operation in Syria, which began in late 2015, has turned the tide of the conflict in favour of Moscow’s ally, the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, in his fight against rebels.
At the same time, Israel’s airforce has launched scores of attacks on Syrian territory in a campaign it says is to prevent its arch-enemy and Assad’s ally, Iran, from gaining a military foothold in a neighbouring country. The strikes have also targeted arms shipments in Syria to Lebanon’s Tehran-backed Hezbollah movement.
RussiaRussia
SyriaSyria
EuropeEurope
Middle East and North AfricaMiddle East and North Africa
newsnews
Share on FacebookShare on Facebook
Share on TwitterShare on Twitter
Share via EmailShare via Email
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn
Share on PinterestShare on Pinterest
Share on Google+Share on Google+
Share on WhatsAppShare on WhatsApp
Share on MessengerShare on Messenger
Reuse this contentReuse this content