Tags: Russia , Moscow , Su-24 jets

Moscow: Russia today grounded its entire fleet of ageing Su-24 fighter jets after a second plane crashed in the last three days.

A Su-24 jet crashed today in southern Rostov-on-Don region while landing after a routine sortie, RIA Novosti reported adding that both the pilots of the bomber safely bailed out.

The crash was the second of an Su-24 in three days, prompting air force officials to ground the entire military fleet pending an investigation.

Earlier on Wednesday another Su-24 bomber had crashed in Murmansk region in similar conditions and then also both pilots safely ejected.

The Murmansk crash was attributed to 'human error' while landing by a trainee pilot and the aircraft of this type, widely used in Soviet Union's war in Afghanistan and Russian campaign in Chechnya, were not grounded, Russian Air HQ said.

The twin-engine jet has been an important component of the Russian air force since the late 1970s. Virtually all of the country's fighter jets were built before the 1991 Soviet collapse.

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