AVIATION
A Russian Private Jet crashes in Afghanistan
The aircraft, reportedly owned by Athletic Group LLC. and a private individual, is a Falcon 10 built in 1978.
Reports have emerged regarding a tragic incident involving a Russian private jet, which is believed to have crashed in a remote region of Afghanistan on January 20. The crash site is located near Zebak district in Badakhshan Province, a mountainous area approximately 250 kilometers northeast of Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. Authorities dispatched a rescue team to the site to assess the situation.
According to information from Moscow, the aircraft involved in the crash is a Dassault Falcon 10, which went missing with six people on board – four crew members and two passengers. Russian civil aviation authorities revealed that the plane, registered in Russia, lost communication and disappeared from radar screens. The flight originated from U-Tapao–Rayong–Pattaya International Airport in Thailand and was en route from Gaya, India, to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, before heading to Zhukovsky International Airport in Moscow. The plane was operating as a charter ambulance flight.
The aircraft, reportedly owned by Athletic Group LLC. and a private individual, is a Falcon 10 built in 1978. Russian officials have initiated a criminal case through the Investigative Committee, focusing on potential violations of air safety rules or negligence. The Russian Embassy in Afghanistan is actively collaborating with local authorities to gather more information about the incident.
Conflicting statements have emerged regarding the ownership of the plane, with a Taliban spokesperson identifying it as belonging to a Moroccan company. However, the Ministry of Civil Aviation clarified that it is not an Indian carrier, as some sources initially suggested.
The Taliban representative attributed the crash to an “engine problem” without providing further details. Zabihullah Mujahid, the chief spokesman for the Taliban, stated that Afghan air force rescue teams were actively engaged in search operations in the area.
Flight tracking data from FlightRadar24, analyzed by the Associated Press (AP), revealed the aircraft’s last position just south of the city of Peshawar, Pakistan, around 1330 GMT on January 20.
International carriers have largely avoided Afghan airspace since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021. Fearful of anti-aircraft threats, especially following the 2014 shootdown of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine, global authorities imposed restrictions on commercial flights over Afghanistan. While some restrictions have been eased, concerns persist. The Wakhan Corridor in Badakhshan Province has become a corridor for brief transits through Afghan airspace.
The last fatal airplane crash in Afghanistan occurred in 2020, involving a U.S. Air Force Bombardier E-11A in Ghazni Province, resulting in the tragic loss of two American troops.