The aircraft lost communication around 6 p.m. local time during a planned flight over the peninsula, which was annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014. Search teams later located the crash site, confirming that six crew members and 23 passengers were among the dead.
Authorities said there were no survivors and ruled out external impact, indicating that missiles, drones, or bird strikes were not involved in the incident.
Preliminary findings suggest the crash was caused by a technical malfunction. A military commission has been dispatched to investigate the exact cause.
The An-26, a Soviet-era light transport aircraft introduced in the late 1960s, has long been used for military logistics and cargo transport, with a capacity of up to 40 passengers over short and medium distances.
The model has been involved in multiple fatal accidents in recent years. Previous incidents include crashes in Ukraine in 2020 and 2022, as well as accidents in South Sudan and Ivory Coast, raising ongoing concerns about the aircraft’s safety record.
