What to Know:
An air ambulance heading from Pattaya, Thailand, to Moscow, Russia, crashed in the mountains of northern Afghanistan on Saturday, according to Taliban officials. Four survivors were found, however, the condition and location of two others remains unknown. The exact cause of the crash is unclear at this time.
The Flight:
According to the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency, the flight was a chartered Dassault Aviation Falcon 10 air ambulance traveling from Utapao Airport in Pattaya, Thailand, to Moscow, Russia, with planned stops in India and Uzbekistan.
We are following media reports of an aircraft accident in a mountainous area in Afghanistan.
The aircraft involved is a 45 year old Dassault Falcon 10 with serial number 128. It was using a Moroccan transponder code (020087 / CN-TKN) but the call sign 09011 indicates a Russian… pic.twitter.com/Ud1BgslPc7
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) January 21, 2024
Russian state media outlet RIA stated that the passenger “a bedridden patient in serious condition, a Russian citizen, who was transported from one of the hospitals in Pattaya to Russia,” adding that “She was accompanied by her husband, a private entrepreneur, also a Russian citizen, who paid for the flight.”
Pattaya is a popular vacation destination for Russians.
The Crash:
The exact reason for the crash remains unknown.
According to the Taliban-controlled Ministry of Transport and Aviation, citing preliminary information, a “FALCON-10 Russian private jet with six passengers and crew was flying from India to Tashkent [Uzbekistan] last evening around 7:00pm. Due to technical problems, it deviated from its route and possibly crashed in Badakhshan province.”
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“The route of said plane was not planned in Afghanistan’s airspace,” the Ministry added.
The Ministry later announced that the aircraft was located in the area of Aruz Koh, Kof Ab District, adding that “Four people, including the pilot, are alive.”
“The search and assistance of the Islamic Emirate’s search team for the remaining survivors continues.”
