Air Transport

Kyrgyzstan Airlines has released images of the Tupolev Tu-154M damaged in a collision with a US Air Force tanker while taking off from Bishkek’s Manas International airport on 26 September. The Tu-154 has been identified as a 15-year-old Altyn Air aircraft, registered EX-85718, which was operating on behalf of the flag carrier.

It struck the Boeing KC-135 while departing for Moscow. Despite losing a large section of its outer starboard wing, the Tu-154 became airborne and immediately returned to land at Bishkek without further incident. All 52 passengers and nine crew were safely evacuated. The KC-135’s wing was hit by the Tu-154 and subsequently caught fire; the blaze was extinguished by military and airport personnel. None of the three crew on-board the tanker – which was taxiing from the runway after landing when it was hit – was injured in the collision.