Amid War Times A Jet Goes Missing From Radar

During the difficult war times, a jet has been reported as missing from the radar.

“Connection has been lost with the crew of a Russian Il-20 plane over the Mediterranean Sea 35km from the Syrian coast as it was returning to the Hmeimim air base,” the Russian Defence Ministry said, adding that the jet had gone off the radar around 11 PM Monday night (01:30 IST)

The jet carrying 14 servicemen had vanished from the radar over the Mediterranean Sea as Syria came under attack by Israeli missiles.

The Syrian forces broadcast an emergency search and rescue call on an international frequency.

And the USA has reported that the plane was accidentally shot down by extensive Syrian anti-aircraft artillery which was aimed at the missiles.

The Israelis have previously fired on a number of targets in the coastal province of Latakia, a Syrian stronghold near the Russian airbase to which the Il-20 was returning.

The plane was over the Mediterranean Sea about 35 km (20 miles) from the Syrian coastline, Russia’s TASS news agency quoted the ministry as saying in a statement.

“The trace of the Il-20 on flight control radars disappeared during an attack by four Israeli F-16 jets on Syrian facilities in Latakia province,” the statement was quoted as saying.

“At the same time, Russian air control radar systems detected rocket launches from the French frigate Auvergne which was located in that region.”

The fate of the 14 people on board the missing plane is unknown, and a rescue operation has been organised out of the Hmeymim base, the ministry said.

A CNN reporter Ryan Browne tweeted: “The US military believes that Syrian anti-aircraft artillery accidentally shot down a Russian maritime patrol aircraft Monday while the Syrian regime was attempting to shoot down a barrage of Israeli missiles targeting locations in Latakia, a US official tells CNN.”

A number of journalists who have been covering the war in Syria are flagging off this incident as a potentially explosive situation that could escalate fast into a global crisis.