On Tuesday, a Russian Mikoyan MiG-31 fighter jet crashed in the Perm Region. Both pilots of the interceptor jet died. Their bodies have been recovered.

      It was on a routine training flight, a spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry said. The plane disappeared from radar screens four minutes after taking off from a Perm military airfield "Bolshoye Savinovo". The crash site was discovered an hour later some 11 kilometers from the base. A source in the regional police told RIA Novosti that the jet was damaged by an explosion while being in the air.

      Experts from the Russian Defence Ministry say that the first possible cause of crash is a technical failure, though it must be investigated carefully before making any official statements.

      Following the accident, all MiG-31s have been grounded until the investigation into the crash is complete.

      Last year, in November, a similar incident happened in the Perm Region. A MiG-31 fighter jet crashed during a training flight from the same base, though both pilots were able to survive. 

      The Mikoyan MiG-31 (NATO reporting name: Foxhound) is a supersonic interceptor aircraft developed to replace the MiG-25 "Foxbat". The MiG-31 was designed by the Mikoyan design bureau based on the MiG-25. Russia's Air Force has over 160 such planes; 100 other aircraft are in reserve. 

Sources: RIA Novosti Lenta.ru Russia Today Pravda.ru