Russian military L-39 jet trainer crashes into water, search for pilots underway

An L-39 jet trainer has crashed into the water in Russia’s Krasnodar Region, with the two pilots having ejected, Russia’s Defense Ministry said. The incident occurred during a routine training flight near the coastal village of Dolzhanskaya. The rescue team is currently searching for the pilots, it said. Sources told TASS that the plane crashed in the Sea of Azov some 1,5 kilometers offshore. Both pilots were forced to eject into the water, they added. The L-39 is a Czech aircraft produced between 1971 and 1996, with the aim of training military jet pilots.