What happened
A charter flight operating between Sochi and Sukhumi, which was transporting a group of Russian and foreign journalists, crashed during its arrival at Babushara Airport. While the aircraft was on final approach at an altitude of approximately 300 metres, it was struck by a surface-to-air Strela missile. Following the impact, the plane went down in the bay near Sukhumi, approximately 4 km away from the coastline.
The accident resulted in 27 fatalities, with no survivors reported among the occupants. The aircraft was lost in the waters offshore during the descent phase of the flight.
Findings
Investigation of the event indicates that the primary cause of the crash was the impact of a surface-to-air Strela missile while the aircraft was performing its approach to the airport.