Russian military cargo jet crash kills eleven in Siberia

November 1, 2009 Eleven people are dead after a military cargo jet crashed in Siberia. The strategic airlifter, which belonged to Russia's Interior Ministry, came down shortly after takeoff in Mirny. There were no survivors.

No-one on the ground was injured by the Ilyushin Il-76, which lost control after it failed to gain altitude, banking hard to the right before hitting the ground two kilometers away near a disused mine. The plane did not achieve a height of beyond 20–30 meters.

The aircraft had been headed to Irkutsk and was being operated by interior troops. An inquiry was established to investigate. The Il-76 has been a major component of both the Russian and Soviet military since the 1970s, and had already seen a serious accident in Russia last month. On October 7 an engine separated on takeoff, without injuries. Russia briefly grounded Il-76s after that accident.