You're reading: Contact lost with crew of An-26 military transport plane in Luhansk region

Contact has been lost with the crew of an An-26 military transport plane in Luhansk region, spokesman for the information and analytical center of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Andriy Lysenko has said.

“Contact with this aircraft has been lost. A search operation is underway,” he told Interfax-Ukraine.

Lysenko did not disclose other details.

Earlier, a source in the military circles told the agency: “Contact
has been lost with the plane. According to preliminary information, it
could have come under fire.”

According to the report, there could be about 20 people on board the plane.

Earlier, the press office of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s
Republic reported that a military transport plane had been shot down
near the village of Izvaryne. According to Russian media reports,
eyewitnesses say they saw several people with parachutes drop from the
plane, along with cargo.