Video shared on social media has shown the dramatic final moments of a Russian military jet as it crashes into the sea.
Footage filmed on Monday shows beachgoers watching as the Sukhoi Su-25 plunges into the water off Yeysk in southern Russia's Krasnodar region.
A popular resort for holidaymakers, Yeysk is on the southern shore of the Sea Of Azov. On the northern side lies the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which has been a focal point in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
One video on the Baza Telegram channel shows the splash of the plane hitting the water as a man shouts: "Holy sh**! The plane has crashed."
In another clip, a voice says: "The pilot just ejected from the plane, shall we go help him or not?"
A female voice is heard saying: "Is that supposed to happen? That's not supposed to happen, right?" before adding, "I am afraid."
Russian military authorities said that the jet crashed following an engine failure during a training flight, according to state-run news agency Ria Novosti.
Online video footage shows the pilot ejecting from the aircraft as it headed towards the water. Emergency crews could not save the pilot, who reportedly died after getting tangled in his parachute.
Newsweek has emailed the Russian defense ministry for comment.
In October, 16 people were killed and dozens injured after an Su-34 fighter jet crashed into an apartment building in Yesyk soon after taking off.
Monday's incident follows the announcement by authorities in Krasnodar of a stepping up of security measures in the region following an alleged attack on the Kerch Bridge that links Crimea with the Russian mainland.
Motorists have been urged to avoid using the bridge that links the peninsula Moscow annexed in 2014 with the Russian region. Video published by the pro-Kremlin Crimea 24 channel shows part of the road bridge had sheared off and was sloping towards the Black Sea.
Russia's Investigative Committee has called the incident a "terrorist attack" and blamed "Ukrainian special services."
Kyiv has not directly claimed responsibility, but news outlets were citing Ukrainian intelligence as saying that Ukraine's security service and navy were behind the attack.
Update 07/17/23, 11:35 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with further information.
Russian media reporting that the pilot of the Sukhoi SU-25 that crashed near Yeysk, Krasnodar Krai, has died.
— Jimmy Rushton (@JimmySecUK) July 17, 2023
No doubt the increased strain the war has been putting on the RuAF is responsible for the increased rate of non-combat losses seen recently.pic.twitter.com/aKBmfbE027
