Russia says 39 died in plane crash in Syria

6 March 2018, 7:07 pm

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Russia’s Defense Ministry raises the death toll from the crash of a military cargo plane at an air base in Syria to 39.

The ministry says in a statement that 33 passengers and six crew members were killed when the An-26 crashed just 500 meters (1,600 feet) from the runway.

The Russian military previously put the death toll at 32.

Russia, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, leases the Hemeimeem military base in Syria, near the Mediterranean coast.

The base is far from the front lines of the conflict, but came under shelling in December. The Russian military insisted the cargo plane did not come under fire, while saying it would conduct a full investigation.

— AP