A Russian MiG-31 fighter jet crashed into the Pacific bordering the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia during a “planned training flight over Avacha Bay”, state-owned news agency TASS reported.
Search and rescue forces from the Russian Navy fleet in the Pacific Ocean have been deployed to search for the crew. The Russian military said the aircraft was not armed.
The MiG-31 is a long-range, two-seat jet fighter built by the Soviet Union to defend against enemy aircraft flying at high altitudes. First introduced into service in 1979, it was used by the Soviet Air Forces.
It is one of the fastest jets in the world, capable of reaching almost 3,000 kilometers per hour. Despite its old age, Russia still uses the jet and plans to keep it flying until at least 2030.
However, the Russian jet has already faced a series of issues. Another MiG-31 crashed in Murmansk Oblast on April 26, 2023, followed by an incident in June 2023 where a MiG-31 experienced engine failure shortly after take-off, leading to an onboard fire.
Prior to the recent crash on June 5, 2023, the Russian Defense Ministry declared that two Tu-95MS strategic missile-carrying aircraft successfully conducted a scheduled five-hour flight over the Barents and the Norwegian Sea. The ministry said it plans to carry out routine missions in international waters, including the Arctic, North Atlantic, Black Sea, Baltic Sea, and the Pacific Ocean.