Officials from the Taliban in Badakhshan Province, located in northern Afghanistan, announced on Sunday that two people died in a plane crash in the region, adding that four others survived. The provincial governor's office director, Khan Mohammad, reported that the four survivors are currently with representatives of the Taliban. Spokesperson for Badakhshan, Zabihullah Amiri, confirmed the number of fatalities and the survival of four.
Russian news agency TASS reported on Sunday, citing a source "in operational services," that "two Russian passengers were on board a chartered plane that disappeared in the skies over Afghanistan while en route to Moscow." Russian aviation authorities stated on Sunday that a plane registered in Russia, believed to be carrying six individuals, "vanished from radar screens while over Afghanistan last night," following reports from Afghan police about a plane crash.
A Russian passenger plane en route from India to Moscow had crashed in Afghanistan. Gazpromavia's Falcon 900B took off from the Indian city of Gaya. The pilots reported technical issues and were about to make an unscheduled landing while crossing the border with Tajikistan.
On Sunday, the Russian aviation authority (Rosaviatsiya) reported, based on information from Russian diplomats, that four people survived the plane crash in Afghanistan, and efforts are underway to confirm the status of two others who were onboard. Russian media agency also noted that the flight was a medical evacuation from Thailand to Moscow. Russian investigators confirmed on Sunday that they have opened a criminal investigation to determine if there were any violations of safety regulations. The plane's record, which contains the names of all onboard and was published by the news site Shot, indicated that the crew members were also Russian nationals.
