A Russian military transport plane with 15 people on board has crashed shortly after take-off, with dramatic video showing its engine in flames.
The Il-76 cargo plane crashed in Russia’s Ivanovo region, the country’s defence ministry confirmed.
Fire can be seen coming out of what appears to be one of the plane’s engines in footage published by local residents.
Unconfirmed reports suggested that an engine had come off the stricken aircraft mid-air, with footage appearing to show a large object falling from the plane and crashing down to earth.
Multiple videos appear to show smoke pouring out of the plane as it circled in the sky, seemingly attempting to make an emergency landing.
Subsequent footage shows huge plumes of black smoke rising from what appears to be the crash site.
The casualty toll has not been confirmed but there are reports circulating of multiple deaths, with ten bodies found at the scene.
The Il-76 cargo plane crashed in Russia ‘s Ivanovo region, with video showing the stricken aircraft overhead
Footage appears to show a large object falling from the plane and crashing down to earth
The plane with a burning engine did not reach the airfield, said reports. It reportedly crashed at a cemetery near the village of Bogorodskoye
Flames can be seen coming out of what appears to be one of the plane’s engines in footage published by local residents
Subsequent footage shows huge plumes of black smoke rising from what appears to be the crash site
The Il-76 is widely used by the Russian military as a transport plane for the war in Ukraine.
According to locals, the engine of the military transport Il-76 caught fire, after which the plane crashed near the Ivanovo-Severny airport.
Local residents write that dozens of emergency vehicles are heading to the place where the smoke is coming from.
There were 15 people – eight crew and seven passengers – on board the crashed Il-76 in the Ivanovo region, media reports.
The plane with a burning engine did not reach the airfield, said reports.
It reportedly crashed at a cemetery near the village of Bogorodskoye.
Videos appear to show smoke pouring out of the plane as it circled in the sky, seemingly attempting to make an emergency landing
While taking off from the Severny airfield, its engine caught fire and it sought to land again, according to reports
The Il-76 plane that crashed near Ivanovo was based in Tver.
While taking off from the Severny airfield, its engine caught fire and it sought to land again, according to reports.
Some suggested the plane had been on a ‘training flight’.
Pro-Putin Telegram channel WarGonzo said: ‘It is clear that the plane’s engine caught fire.
‘The cause of the accident is being investigated.
‘An investigation team left for the crash site.
‘The crew steered the falling plane away from the city.
‘At the cost of their lives, they were able to prevent the tragedy.
According to locals, the engine of the military transport Il-76 caught fire, after which the plane crashed near the Ivanovo-Severny airport
‘For pilots, war is everywhere. Including in the rear, where the weather is bad and an emergency situation can overtake you in the sky above your home.
‘And in this situation, you also need to find the strength to act like a man.
‘The hero pilots proved that they are true Russian officers.
‘We express our sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims.’
According to loyalists SHOT media outlet, the burning Il-76 was piloted away from residential buildings by a 34-year-old pilot from Orenburg.
‘The pilot was very experienced, had many hours of flight time, and his family was proud of him,’ said a report.
SHOT said that there are fears all 15 on board the Il-76 were killed.
Telegram channel Voevoda Veshaet reported: ‘It is noticeable that the pilots managed to put out the burning engine, but apparently something went wrong and the plane crashed in a forested area near the Severny airfield.’