What happened
During a nighttime departure from Sukhumi Airport, an aircraft carrying 2,117 kilograms of mail experienced a sudden loss of altitude. Less than sixty seconds after lifting off, while the plane was climbing at an altitude of approximately 60 meters, it entered a nose-down pitch. The descent continued until the aircraft struck the sea roughly 3 km from the shoreline.
Following the impact, the wreckage settled at a depth of 15 meters. There were six fatalities among the occupants of the flight, with no survivors reported.
Findings
Investigators were unable to determine a definitive reason for the crash. While the official cause remains unconfirmed, investigators considered the possibility that the pilot may have been blinded by a light beam during the critical climb phase.