What happened
During the final approach phase to Sukhumi-Babushara Airport, an aircraft was struck by a surface-to-air missile. The impact caused the plane to crash in the vicinity of the runway threshold, where the wreckage subsequently ignited.
The flight was transporting a group of Georgian soldiers and police officers assigned to Sukhumi. The accident resulted in a total of 132 fatalities, including all passengers on board, while 24 individuals managed to survive the crash.
Findings
Investigations into the incident determined that the primary cause of the destruction was the impact of a surface-to-air missile while the aircraft was descending toward the airport.