2nd LD Writethru: Preliminary reports show one Russian pilot dead; Rescue operation still underway

Russia's Defense Ministry said on Tuesday said preliminary data showed one of the two pilots ejected from a warplane was killed by ground fire as he parachuted to ground in Syria and a marine was killed during the following rescue attempt.

Earlier on Tuesday, Turkish fighters shot down a Russian Su-24 warplane after issuing numerous warnings about the plane's alleged violation of its airspace. However, Russia said the plane was shot down over Syria.

"The two pilots of the Su-24 ejected themselves from the plane. According to preliminary data, one of them was killed in the air by the fire on the ground," Sergei Rutskoy, chief of the Russian General Staff Main Operations Directorate, said in an online statement of Russia's Defense Ministry.

Rutskoy also confirmed that one Russian marine was killed during the rescue operation and a Mi-8 helicopter was downed by ground fire.

However, the search and rescue operation of the Su-24 pilots will continue, he added.

Destroyed by mortar fire from the ground, one of the two Mi-8 helicopters in rescue mission made an emergency landing "in a neutral area," Rutskoy said.

"The search and rescue team as well as crew onboard the Mi-8 helicopter was evacuated and is now at Syria's Hmeimim airbase (where a Russian airforce group for anti-terrorist strikes is located)," Rutskoy said.

On the shooting down of the Russian warplane, Rutskoy noted that, "Presumably, the Su-24 plane was hit by a short-range missile with an infrared seeker."

"Objective monitoring devices registered no attempts by the Turkish plane to establish radio or visual contact with our crew," he added.

His account contradicted Turkey's claims of issuing 10 warnings in five minutes about its violation of the Turkish airspace before two F-16 jets "interfered."

Rutskoy also stressed that the Russia's fighter jet did not cross the Turkish border, which he said could be proved by "accurate data of objective monitoring" and data from Syria's missile defense system.

"Syrian Hmeimim airbase's radar surveillance data nevertheless registered the violation of the Syria airspace by the attacking Turkish jet," Rutskoy said.

Warning of military contacts between Russia and Turkey would be frozen, Rutskoy said Russia would strengthen security measures to protect its air forces and airbase in Syria, as well as the anti-aircraft defense.

"Moskva guard missile cruiser, equipped with the 'Fort' air defense system similar to the S-300 system, will go to an area off the coast of Syria's Latakia. We warn that all targets that represent any potential danger to us will be destroyed."

Moreover, all missions of Russian aircraft would be carried out only under the cover of fighter jets, Rutskoy said.

Tensions mounted following the incident, with Russian President Vladimir Putin warning of serious consequences for Russia-Turkey relations.

Following the shooting down of the Russia fighter jet, Turkey on Tuesday turned to NATO and requested to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the incident.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called for calm and de-escalation after the extraordinary meeting of the North Atlantic Council, NATO's governing body. Endit