Su-34 Fighter Jet Crashes in Russia

A Su-34 jet has crashed in the Nizhny Novgorod Region during a scheduled training flight, with both crew members surviving the mishap, the Russian Defense Ministry said, The Caspian Post reports, citing TASS.

"At about 1 p.m. Moscow time today, a Su-34 aircraft crashed in the Nizhny Novgorod Region during a scheduled training flight. As it approached for landing, a failure occurred in the release system of one of the landing gear struts. The crew made several attempts to repair the malfunction in flight, but the situation did not change. At the command of the flight director, the crew took the airplane to a safe location and ejected," the ministry said in a statement.

A search and rescue team is heading to the crash site to take the crew to the base, according to the statement.

"According to information from the scene, both crew members are alive. The aircraft was not carrying a load of ammunition during the flight. The plane went down in a deserted area. No damage has been done on the ground," the ministry said.

A commission from the Russian Aerospace Force is on its way to the crash site.