A Russian military plane crash in annexed Crimea has killed six crew and 23 passengers, Russian news agencies reported in the early hours of Wednesday, citing the Defense Ministry. Photo: Internet Source

The An-26 military transport plane was carrying out a scheduled flight over the Crimean Peninsula, the reports said. The military lost contact with the plane around 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

The Soviet-designed military transport turboprop aircraft crashed into a cliff, sources at the scene told state news agencies Tass and RIA Novosti.

Russia's Investigative Committee said a total of seven crew members and 23 passengers were on board. It wasn't immediately clear from official statements if one crew member has survived.

The Investigative Committee said it has launched a criminal probe in connection with flight regulations and a search is underway in a mountainous forested area in the Bakhchisarai district.

The Interfax news agency cited the Defense Ministry as saying a suspected technical malfunction may have caused the crash and that there was no "damaging interference" with the aircraft.

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and has since administered it as Russian.