A Russian fighter jet has crashed off the coast of Syria killing both pilots ‘after a bird strike’. The Kremlin says the SU-30SM war plane came down in the Mediterranean off the coastal city of Latakia this morning and denied it had come under fire. Pilots ‘fought to take the aircraft under control till the last minute’, according to Moscow defence officials. Pictures have emerged on social media claiming to show the scene of the crash and smoke rising over the water.

The two-seater plane had earlier taken off from the Khmeimim Airbase and was not shot down, they said.

The plane was among Russia’s most advanced and performed its maiden flight in 2012.  In Syria, it was used to launch air-to-ground missiles at rebel targets and to escort attack jets and strategic bombers  The accident brings Russia’s official military losses in Syria to 86. The most recent acknowledged military loss came when a transport plane crashed on landing at the Khmeimim airbase in March, killing all 39 people on board. But Russian nationals are regularly reported to be serving as paid mercenaries in Syria and taking on dangerous missions that often lead to casualties.