Sibir Airlines Tupolev TU-154M plane is shot down
Off Sochi, Russia
Updated on
The aircraft exploded over the Black Sea while on a passenger flight from Tel Aviv, Israel to Novosibirsk, Russia via Bugas, Bulgaria. The pilot of a nearby aircraft reported seeing the aircraft explode at 33,000 feet, fall into the Black Sea, and explode again on impact.
Investigation has concluded that the missile was fired during Russian-Ukrainian exercise held off Cape Onouk in Crimea. The Ukrainian S-200 surface to air missile had passed its remote-controlled target, which had been successfully destroyed by another missile fired at the same time. Instead of self-destruct, the S-200 missile targeted the Tupolev TU-154 which was nearly 200 kilometers away. It exploded 15 meters above the plane, throwing shrapnel into the plane.
Since year 2000, 7 commercial or transport planes have been voluntary or mistakenly shot by missiles. Watch here the list of those airplanes shot by missiles since year 2000.
