A Falcon 10 aircraft crashed in Afghanistan following a report of technical problems, according to the pilot, Arkady Grachev, who survived. The account was provided to RIA News.
Grachev described a controlled landing on the mountaintop, crediting the crew’s skilled actions for keeping the plane from tumbling into a sheer drop. He recalled that the survivors endured freezing conditions for about 36 hours before medical teams arrived to assist them.
He described the struggle to stay warm as temperatures plummeted, noting that some crew members suffered injuries while trying to endure the cold. Medical personnel began evacuating the survivors, with the group rescued from an altitude of about 4,000 meters amid deep snow.
The pilot added that the remaining distance to the nearest village required a five-hour trek on foot or by improvised transport. He, along with other survivors, later appeared before authorities to provide testimony regarding the incident.
During interviews, journalists asked Grachev about rumors that a large amount of money was aboard the Falcon 10. He denied those claims, stressing that no cash was present in the aircraft during the flight.
The crash occurred in Badakhshan province on January 21, 2023. The aircraft was operating an emergency medical flight intended to transport a sick woman from India to Russia.
There were six people on board. Two did not survive the crash, while four others were treated in hospitals in Kabul and were later transported to Moscow for further care. The identities of those who perished were confirmed after the incident.
Investigations and official inquiries followed, focusing on the sequence of events that led to the crash and the reported meteorological and mechanical conditions in the region. The survivors provided testimony and medical teams continued to monitor their recovery and ongoing health needs.