Via Washington Post:
A Russian fighter jet crashed in the Mediterranean Sea while trying to land on Russia’s sole aircraft carrier, which is stationed off the Syrian coast, the Russian Ministry of Defense said Monday in a statement.
The plane went down several miles from the carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, according to the Ministry of Defense. The pilot ejected and was recovered.
“The health of the pilot is not in danger. The pilot is ready to carry out orders,” the Ministry of Defense said.
Earlier in the day, Pentagon officials said they had indications that the Russians had lost a plane, and Fox News — quoting intelligence officials — reported that the aircraft, a MiG-29K, went down after appearing to have mechanical issues shortly after takeoff. The Pentagon tracks Russian and Syrian government aircraft activity with airborne sensors and thermal-imaging satellites.
Russian news outlets reported Saturday that Russian jets had begun operating from the Kuznetsov in an effort to bolster Russia’s year-old air campaign over Syria and that they could participate in a final blitz to help Syrian troops retake the city of Aleppo. Videos posted to social media confirmed the reports, with footage showing silhouettes of MiG-29s over Idlib province.