Irkutsk - Kurgan - Leningrad

On March 8, 1988 at 07:10 PM, Irkutsk - Kurgan - Leningrad experienced a crash involving Tupolev TU-154, operated by Aeroflot - Russian International Airlines, with the event recorded near Veshchevo AFB Leningrad oblast.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was parking at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

84 people were known to be on board, 9 fatalities were recorded, 75 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 10.7%.

Crew on board: 8, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 76, passenger fatalities: 8, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is terrorism act, hijacking, sabotage. At 1453LT, while in cruising altitude over Vologda on a flight from Irkutsk to Leningrad via Kurgan, a group of 11 hijackers (all from the same Oveshkin Family) informed the cabin crew that a bomb was on board and requested to be flown to London. The captain explained that he did not have sufficient fuel to fly to UK and proposed to make a stopover in Finland. In accordance with the authorities and his corporate, the captain eventually landed at the Veshchevo Airbase located 105 km northwest of Leningrad, near the Finnish border. After landing, hijackers realized they were not in Finland and open fire in the cabin. As a door could be open by a crew member, police officers entered the cabin and open fire as well. When the hijackers realized their hijacking attempt failed, two of them committed suicide. The aircraft was partially destroyed by fire and nine people were killed, five hijackers, one stewardess and three passengers. 19 other people were injured in the event.

Aircraft reference details include registration CCCP-85413, MSN 80A413, year of manufacture 1980.