This article needs to be updated.(February 2024) |
Accident or shootdown | |
---|---|
Date | 18 January 2015 |
Summary | Under investigation [needs update] |
Site | Abu al-Duhur military airport, Idlib Governorate, Syria 35°44′1.56″N 37°6′14.08″E / 35.7337667°N 37.1039111°E |
Aircraft | |
Aircraft type | Antonov An-26 |
Operator | Syrian Arab Air Force |
Registration | YK-AND |
Destination | Abu al-Duhur military airport, Idlib Governorate, Syria |
Occupants | 35 |
Passengers | 29 |
Crew | 6 |
Fatalities | 35 |
Survivors | 0 |
On 18 January 2015, an Antonov An-26 operated by the Syrian Air Force crashed with no survivors while attempting to land at the besieged Abu al-Duhur military airport in Idlib Governorate, Syria. The plane was carrying troops as well as military equipment and ammunition.[1] There were 35 people on board,[2] 30 Syrian soldiers[3] and 5 Iranian military experts.[4][5]
Syrian state media and the SOHR said that the crash was due to heavy fog or "technical issues"[2][6][3] and that the plane hit an electricity pylon.[7] However, Al-Qaeda affiliated group Al-Nusra Front claimed that they shot it down.[2][8][9]
Syrian media provided a list with the names of the 30 Syrian soldiers who were killed. The commander of the Syrian army division, Colonel Hussein Al-Yousif, was among those listed killed.[3] Per SOHR, 13 Syrian officers were among the fatalities.[4]