Four individuals have miraculously survived the Moscow-bound jet crash in Afghanistan, as reported by Russia’s aviation watchdog Rosaviatsia on Sunday (Jan 21). A charter plane destined for Moscow had gone off the radar on Saturday (Jan 20) after which it was reported that it had crashed in the mountains in northern Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, about the other two passengers, Taliban provincial officials who reached the crash site, reportedly said that they could not survive the incident and were killed.
Providing further updates on those who survived the tragedy, the Taliban administration’s spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid identified the pilot as among the survivors and mentioned ongoing efforts to search for and assist the remaining individuals.
This development comes as the Russian-registered charter plane, carrying six people, disappeared from radar screens over Afghanistan, and a crash incident was reported to Afghan police.
The condition of surviving individuals, who are now with Taliban officials, remains unclear. The commercial aircraft was initially thought to be from India, however, this was not the case. As per the Russian aviation authority, the flight was identified as a charter ambulance that originated from Thailand’s Utapao Airport in Pattaya and was en route to Moscow via India and Uzbekistan, Reuters reported.
Some media reports citing sources said that the French-made Dassault Aviation Falcon 10 jet, manufactured in 1978, experienced fuel issues about 25 minutes before disappearing from radar.
The pilot reportedly signalled low fuel and attempted to land in Tajikistan. Subsequently, both engines stopped functioning. However, WION cannot verify this information independently.
The jet was carrying a bedridden Russian patient and her husband, a private Russian entrepreneur, who had paid for the flight, as per media reports citing a source at Thailand’s Utapao International Airport. The couple reportedly hailed from Volgodonsk in southern Russia.
(With inputs from agencies)
