MOSCOW (AP) – Three crew members of a Russian bomber died on Tuesday when their ejection seats were accidentally activated during pre-flight checks, the military said.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the incident happened at an air base in the Kaluga region, about 145 kilometers (90 miles) southwest of Moscow.
He said the crew of a Tu-22M3 long-range bomber was preparing for a training mission when its ejection system failed and accidentally shot the crew. The ministry said the altitude was not sufficient for the parachutes to open and three of the four crew members were wounded.
Russian media reported that the victims included Colonel Vadim Beloslyudtsev, commander of the bomber unit stationed at Shaikovka airbase near Kaluga.
Russian press reports said the fourth crew member survived the incident and was hospitalized.
An official investigation into the incident has been launched. Accidental activation of the rescue system is extremely rare and some experts have speculated that it could have been caused by an electrical fault or human error.
The Tu-22M3 is a long-range, twin-engine supersonic bomber capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
About 60 are estimated to remain in service in the Russian Air Force, and some have carried out bombing missions to attack militants in Syria from their bases in Russia.