Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s aircraft disappears mid-flight, crash speculated
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s plane reportedly vanished from radar while en route to Russia, leading to conflicting reports about a potential crash and his possible death.
According to foreign media, Bashar al-Assad left Damascus early Sunday morning aboard Syrian Air Flight 9218 as rebel forces advanced towards the Syrian capital. The flight was last tracked heading towards the coastal regions of Syria before disappearing from radar.
Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Al-Jallali stated in an interview with Arab TV that his last communication with Bashar al-Assad occurred on Saturday night. “When I informed him about the worsening situation, he said we would discuss it further the next morning,” Al-Jallali revealed.
Reports suggest al-Assad was traveling on an IL-76 aircraft (registration YK-ATA). Flightradar24 data shows the plane initially flew towards the Syrian-Iraqi border before diverting abruptly towards the Mediterranean Sea. The aircraft descended rapidly from an altitude of 8,725 feet, with its speed reducing drastically from 819 km/h to 64 km/h before vanishing.
Unconfirmed reports indicate the plane may have crashed, but no official confirmation has been provided. Details about the aircraft’s destination and al-Assad’s status remain unclear.
