16 killed in crash of plane carrying skydivers in Russia

A plane carrying parachute jumpers crashed after takeoff on Sunday in Russia, resulting in 16 deaths and six people being injured.

The crash occurred in the western region of Tatarstan, according to Reuters, which added that Russian officials said the six survivors were in critical condition.

The plane — a Let L-410 Turbolet — was at a height of 70 meters when the pilots reported that their left engine had failed and attempted to make an emergency landing near the city of Menzelinsk. However, the plane’s wing hit a vehicle as it was landing and overturned.

The plane was owned by a club in Menzelinsk, Reuters reported. Club director Ravil Nurmukhametov said the group has hosted European and championships in the past. The Cosmonaut Training Centre cut ties with the club, pending an investigation into the incident, Russian state-run news agency TASS reported.

Russia’s Investigative Committee has opened an investigation into the incident, Reuters reported.

The news service noted that Russian aviation safety standards have tightened in recent years, but incidents still occur in remote regions of the country.

In July, a Soviet-made AN-26 crashed in Russia’s Kamchatka peninsula, killing all 28 people who were on board. Officials attributed the crash to poor visibility in the mountainous region.