1993 Sukhumi airliner attacks

In September, 1993, five Tupolev civilian airliners belonging to Transair Georgia and Orbi Georgian Airways were hit by missiles allegedly fired by separatists in Sukhumi, Abkhazia, Georgia. Over 150 people perished in the attacks.

20 September
A Tu-134A was destroyed by Abkhaz small arms fire or missiles; there was no one on board.

21 September
A Tu-134 aircraft flying from Sochi was hit on approach to Sukhumi-Babusheri Airport by a Strela 2 surface-to-air missile. The plane crashed into the Black Sea, killing all five crew members and 22 passengers.

22 September
A Tu-154B aircraft flying from Tbilisi carrying civilians and internal security forces was on approach to Sukhumi-Babusheri Airport when it was struck by surface-to-air missiles. The plane crashed landed on the airstrip, and the ensuing fire killed 108 of the total 132 passengers and crew members.

23 September
Passengers were boarding a Tu-134 at Sukhumi when it was struck by rockets from an Abkhaz BM-21 Grad rocket launcher. It caught fire and burned out, leaving one crew member dead. The aircraft was due to operate a Sukhumi-Tbilisi service. On the same day a Tu-154 (85359) was reportedly destroyed by mortar or artillery fire.