MOSCOW: The death toll rose to four after an Il-76 military transport aircraft crashed in Russia’s western region of Ryazan early Friday, TASS news agency reported.
Five others were hospitalized, the report said. Previous reports said at least two were killed in the crash.
TASS reported that the plane made a hard landing after its crew discovered an engine malfunction, citing the Russian Defense Ministry. It was flying a training mission without cargo along the Belgorod-Orenburg route with 10 people on board.
The plane was partially destroyed in the crash, causing a fire at the landing site, which has been extinguished. Il-76 is Russia’s main military transport aircraft.