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15 fatalities

Russian Maritime Patrol Aircraft Shot Down by Syrian S-200 Missile (RF-93610)

Latakia, SyriaFlight

On September 17, 2018, an Ilyushin II-20 (registration RF-93610) operated by Russian Air Force - Voyenno-vozdushnye sily Rossii was involved in an aviation accident near Latakia, Syria in flight. 15 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Shot down by a Syrian S-200 surface-to-air missile. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-11Data APIEditorial standards
Aircraft registered RF-93610
Aircraft registered RF-93610. Photo: Papas Dos from Moscow, Russia / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A four-engine Russian maritime patrol aircraft was hit by a Syrian S-200 surface-to-air missile while returning to Hmeimim AFB, crashing into the Mediterranean Sea and killing all 15 crew members.

Incident Overview and Timeline A four-engine aircraft departed Hmeimim Air Force Base, located southeast of Latakia, at 2031 local time on a maritime patrol and reconnaissance mission over the Mediterranean Sea. Approximately one and a half hours after takeoff, while returning to its base, the aircraft was struck by an S-200 surface-to-air missile fired by Syrian ground forces. At the time of the incident, four Israeli F-16 fighters were engaged in a ground attack on several infrastructure targets in the Latakia region. The aircraft lost control and crashed into the Mediterranean Sea approximately 35 kilometers west of Latakia. The following morning, Russian authorities confirmed the loss of the aircraft, stating it had been inadvertently shot down by Syrian Army forces. All 15 crew members were killed in the accident.

Probable cause

Shot down by a Syrian S-200 surface-to-air missile.

Related events

Same operator

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