MOSCOW: One pilot was killed and three injured when a Russian fighter plane crashed during a training flight over Siberia, the regional governor said on Friday.

The Tu-22M3 plane went down late Thursday in a deserted area over the Irkutsk region, Igor Kobzev said.

Rescue efforts “lasted all night unfortunately one of the pilots couldn’t be saved”, Kobzev wrote on Telegram, citing the defence ministry.

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The three wounded pilots were hospitalised, he said, adding that according to preliminary information the crash was caused by a “technical failure”.

The Tu-22M3 is a long-range strategic bomber made by the Tupolev military manufacturer.