Two pilots were reportedly killed when a Russian warplane hit the ground and burst into a flames.
They were performing a so-called “dead loop” aeronautical stunt in the Stavropol region.
Reports say the airmen did not have time to use their ejector seats as their Su-27 military training aircraft came down.
Images from the scene show a charred 10ft deep crater, where rescuers found the burnout remains of the aircraft.
The pilots were named as Major Yuri Bortsov and Captain Atryom Lychev from 368 Aviation Regiment.
The plane hit the ground nose first as they were performing a Nesterov’s Loop.
It involves a vertical loop after a steep fall and got its name due to the high risk it poses.
A search was underway in the wreckage for the remains of the pilots.
The plane had taken off from Buddyonovsk airfield and was not carrying ammunition, according to the Russian Defence Ministry.
