Russian military aircraft crashes in Pacific

A Russian military plane has crashed in the Pacific Ocean, with all 11 people on board feared dead.

The Tupolev-142 disappeared from radar screens over the Tatar Strait, separating the mainland from the island of Sakhalin.

The wreckage has reportedly already been found. Russia’s Pacific Fleet has suspended flights of its naval planes pending the results of an investigation.

Just last weekend, a Russian Interior Ministry cargo plane crashed in eastern Siberia, killing all 11 crew members on board.

Elderly Soviet-era planes, dated airport facilities, poor plane maintenance and lax standards are all blamed for Russia’s poor air safety record — one of the worst in the world.

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tags: Military, Russia