Surviving Su-24 Pilot Taken To Russian Airbase In Latakia

One of the Russian pilots who ejected from Su-24 shot down by Turkish F-16 has been confirmed ‘alive’ and has been taken to Russian air base.

The aircraft crashed on the Turkish-Syrian border after both the pilots ejected. The aircraft crashed in an area controlled by Syrian rebels.

The Russian news agency Interfax reported Wednesday that the navigator of the S-24 shot down over Turkey is at a “safe Russian base.” Earlier, Lebanese sources reported that that one of the two Russian Su-24 pilots who parachuted onto a rebel-controlled location in Syria, and was injured, was rescued by a special Syrian army commando force. The sources say he was taken to the Russian enclave outside Latakia.

The Kremlin says a pilot and a Marine sent to rescue the downed crew were killed by rebels in Syria on Tuesday — but the surviving pilot managed to evade capture in hostile territory. He was later picked up by troops loyal to the Assad regime.

Speaking to Europe 1 radio, Russian Ambassador to France Alexander Orlov earlier said that one crew member was killed by rebels on the ground after ejecting from the Su-24 on Tuesday but added that "the other was able to escape."