Terrified neighbours captured thick plumes of smoke going up the blue sky near Moscow following the disaster.The jet was seen up in the skies moments before it crashedCredit
Thick plumes of smoke filled the sky after the plane crashed and killed three on board Reports say the plane was on a test flight after undergoing repairs.
Russia's emergency ministry said the plane had crashed near the city of Kolomna.
The pilot issued a distress call and the aircraft circled to burn fuel ahead of an intended emergency landing.He is believed to have diverted the aircraft away from built up areas and crashed in a forest.
The Russian-made jet was flying from its base at the Lukhovitsy Aviation Plant to Vnukovo Airport when it disappeared from radars around 3pm local time, The Moscow Times reports.
The reason for the crew's mayday signal was not immediately disclosed.
Another anonymous source told RIA Novosti that the aircraft burst into flames as soon as it crash-landed in the woods.
No other casualties apart from the three pilots onboard have been reported.
It's claimed the dead crew have been named as Yevgeniy Bulavko, the captain, and Maxim Lukmanov, co-pilot, and Vladislav Kharlamov, flight attendant.The cause of the crash was not clear.The aircraft was one of Russia's flagship Sukhoi Superjet 100 passenger planeCredit:
Russian emergency services told TASS: "The plane belongs to Gazprom. It was undergoing scheduled maintenance."A test flight was conducted today. There was only a crew of three on board."
A video posted on Telegram appears to show the aftermath of the crash.
Thick black smoke was seen billowing up in the sky from the reported crash site.
Superjets are widely used in Russia but have reportedly become vulnerable due to sanctions preventing the supply of Western parts.
President Putin is looking to expand use of a new Superjet based only on Russian-made parts. But he doesn't use the planes himself.
There have been numerous safety incidents throughout the Ukraine war where Western sanctions have been imposed.
Five years ago, 41 of 78 people were killed after a Sukhoi Superjet 100 was struck by lightning shortly after takeoff from Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport.
Just 20 minutes into the two-and-a-half hour flight, an emergency radio failure was declared prompting the captain to request urgent clearance to return to land.
Pilot Denis Yevdokimov told Russian media the lightning had interrupted communication with air traffic controllers and forced him to switch to emergency mode.
The plane then circled around Moscow twice before it coming in to land, in what appeared to be a desperate attempt to burn fuel.
A dramatic video of the tragedy showed the plane making a terrifying bumpy landing, bursting into flames after bouncing along the tarmac.
TWO men who died in a horror crash on the M62 involving two lorries were Ryanair pilots heading towards the airport.
Matt Greenhalgh, 28, and Jamie Fernandes, 24, who worked as captain and senior first officer, were in a taxi when the collision happened near Warrington yesterday morning.Two men have died in a motorway crash between two lorries and a car, cops saidCredit: Highways England
The incident occurred on the morning of 11 July, just after 5:30am, on the westbound carriageway between junction seven and eight.
The two pilots were heading to Liverpool Airport when their car was involved with a collision with two lorries.
Both men died at the scene and their next of kin are being supported by specialist officers from Cheshire Police.
The driver of the taxi was rushed to hospital with serious injuries and remains there, cops said.
Cheshire Police said the driver of one of the two lorries, a 61-year-old man, has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Cops have urged anyone with information to come forward immediately.
Anyone with information or dash camera footage should contact Cheshire Police on 101.
