MOSCOW: A Russian military transport aircraft crashed in Crimea, killing all 29 people on board, including crew members, according to Russian authorities.

Russian news agencies, citing the Russian Ministry of Defence, reported on Wednesday that the aircraft was on a routine flight over the peninsula when contact was lost on Tuesday evening.

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, and the region remains a focal point of ongoing tensions.

Officials said the Soviet-era turboprop transport aircraft crashed after hitting a cliff, resulting in the deaths of seven crew members and 22 passengers on board. It was not immediately clear if there were any survivors.

The Investigative Committee of Russia said an inquiry had been launched into possible violations of flight safety regulations, while search operations were underway in the mountainous and forested crash site.

According to reports, a technical malfunction is being considered the likely cause of the crash, with no evidence so far suggesting external interference.

The crash comes amid an increase in incidents involving Russian military aircraft since the start of Moscow’s military offensive against Ukraine.