3 killed as training plane crashes in Russia’s Orenburg region

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Three people were killed after a training aircraft crashed in Russia’s Orenburg region on Monday, the Emergency Situations Ministry said.

The Diamond DA aircraft, operated by the St. Petersburg State University of Civil Aviation, was conducting a training flight near the city of Orsk when it went down with an instructor and two cadets on board, all of whom died, the ministry said in a statement.

“A training aircraft crashed in the Orenburg region. The crash was reported in the village of Dzhanatalap, Orsk. The aircraft was on a training flight. When rescuers from the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry arrived at the scene, there was no fire. Unfortunately, three people were killed,” the statement said.

Regional authorities will provide assistance to the families of the victims, according to the press service of the Orenburg governor and regional government.

Rescue operations were continuing at the crash site, and officials said there was no fire.

The ministry did not provide preliminary information on the possible cause of the crash.