A Russian MiG-29 fighter jet operating from the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov has reportedly crashed into the Mediterranean Sea during an attempt to land, on November 13.
News agencies reported the Russian defense ministry saying the pilot was safely recovered by a rescue helicopter after ejecting from the aircraft.
According to a report by American Fox News, three fighter jets took off from Admiral Kuznetsov and flew in the direction of Syria. One of them reportedly experienced mechanical issues and landed in water after it turned around to return to the aircraft carrier.
The Russian carrier strike group is currently stationed off the coast of Syria in the Mediterranean Sea. The embarked fighter jets have already performed first flights over Syrian territory, Russian media reports said.
It is still not known whether the crash will affect the carrier’s planned strikes on ISIS strongholds in Syria.
The Mikoyan-built MiG-29 is a twin-engine aircraft developed in the 1970s to counter U.S. F-15 and F-16 fighter jets.