YEREVAN—An Armenian military SU-25 aircraft that was conducting a routine training flight crashed in the Shirak Province on Tuesday, killing the two pilots on board.
“According to the preliminary information, the military SU-25 aircraft conducting a routine training flight crashed on December 4 at about 10:20 am in the vicinity of Karaberd village located in the region of Maralik town of Shirak Province. As a result of the crash First Class Pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Armen Slavik Babayan and 3rd Class Pilot, Major Movses Gevorg Manoukyan have been killed,” the chairwoman of the defense ministry’s investigative committee Sona Truzyan announced on her Facebook page.
She also announced that a criminal investigation has been launched and is being headed by the Head of General Military Investigation Department Artak Krkyasharyan.
“The black box has been discovered during the examination of the scene. Extra information will be provided on the process of the investigation,” Truzyan wrote.
Earlier on Wednesday, Armenia’s defense ministry reported that contact with the aircraft was lost 14 minutes after takeoff. The wreckage of the place was found near the Maralik village.
