A RUSSIAN surveillance plane with 14 people on board that ‘disappeared from radar’ is believed to have been accidentally shot down by Syrian regime forces who were under attack from Israeli missiles.

There are conflicting reports as to who is responsible for the downing of the aircraft, however the US claims it was accidentally shot down by the Syrian regime’s anti-aircraft artillery after the Syrians came under fire by Israeli missiles.

CNN cites a ‘US official with knowledge of the incident’.

Syria has blamed Israel for the disappearance of the Russian aircraft - for launching a missile strike in the first place.

A brief statement from the Russian Ministry of Defence says the missing aircraft, described as an IL-20 surveillance aircraft carrying 14 crew, ‘disappeared from radar’ during the attack on Syrian and Iranian regime forces in the port city of Latakia.

The plane was over the Mediterranean Sea about 35 km from the Syrian coastline, Russia’s TASS news agency quoted the ministry.

The fate of the 14 people on board the missing plane is unknown, and a rescue operation has been organised out of the Hmeymim base, the ministry said.

First footage of Syrian AD missiles over Latakia.pic.twitter.com/VPmssxqtC4 — Aldin 🇧🇦 (@aldin_ww) September 17, 2018

Syria is yet to confirm or deny its involvement in the aircraft’s disappearance.

Russia has stated that its radar detected missile launches coming from the French frigate Auvergne at the same time four Israeli F-16s attacked Syrian targets.

“The French army denies any involvement in this attack,” a French army spokesman said.

💥 #SyAAD launches SAMs towards unidentified aerial objects coming from Mediterranean Sea earlier tonight. #Syria pic.twitter.com/HLxRwGkfjm — Arabiana Intel (@ArabianaINTEL) September 17, 2018

Syrian air defences were then activated after missiles were detected approaching from the sea.

CNN reports the US found out about the incident because Syrian forces had broadcast an emergency search and rescue radio call on an international frequency.

A Pentagon spokesman told AFP the US was not involved and declined to provide further details.

“The missiles were not fired by the US military and we have nothing further at this time,” he said.

Командование авиабазы Хмеймим начало поисково-спасательную операцию после потери связи с Ил-20: https://t.co/kGNaC1ghxZ pic.twitter.com/KFmfrBnlZ8 — Телеканал "Звезда" (@zvezdanews) September 17, 2018

Initial reports from Syrian regime sources stated seven people were injured after “powerful explosions” echoed through the city.

Syrian regime military sources told Russian media that Latakia’s power station and an aluminium factory had been hit.

#Syria state TV shows the HQs of the Technical Industries Agency in #Lattakia in flames after being targeted by missiles in “an aggression from unknown source” pic.twitter.com/UsOlspySbn — Zaid Benjamin (@zaidbenjamin) September 17, 2018

Syrian media has stated that a ‘number of missiles’ have been shot down by its air defence network. SANA reported the missiles targeting Latakia came “from the sea,” citing military sources.

Latakia is close to Russia’s Khmeimim Air Base. It is unclear if its air defence batteries were also engaged in the defence, or if the aircraft was hit by ‘friendly fire’ from nearby Syrian forces.

Russia’s military operation in Syria, which began in late 2015, has turned the tide of the conflict in favour of Moscow’s ally, Syrian President Bashar al- Assad, in his fight against rebels. But it has come at a cost to Russia.

In December 2016, a Russian plane carrying dozens of Red Army choir singers, dancers and musicians crashed into the Black Sea on the way to Syria, killing all 92 people on board.

In March this year, a Russian military transport plane crashed when coming in to land at the Hmeymim base, killing all 39 people on board.

Multiple countries have military operations underway around Syria, with forces on the ground or launching strikes from the air or from ships in the Mediterranean.

In some cases, those countries are backing opposing sides in the Syrian conflict.

Hotlines are in place for those countries to share operational information on their deployments, but diplomats and military planners say there is still a high risk of one state inadvertently striking another country’s forces.