Moscow: According to Russian official sources, the Chief of the Wagner mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin, died in a plane crash on Wednesday. All the passengers in the plane were killed.

Russia’s ministry for emergency situations on Wednesday announced the crash of a private plane travelling between Moscow and Saint Petersburg. As per the preliminary information, all 10 people on board died, including three crew members, said the ministry.

The crash comes two months after Yevgeny Prigozhin launched a short-lived rebellion seen as the biggest challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s authority since he came to power. Russia’s aviation agency later said the Wagner chief was on board.

According to the airline, the following passengers were on board the Embraer-135 (EBM-135BJ) aircraft Prigozhin, Yevgeny, said Rosaviatsia, which also listed Dmitry Utkin, a shadowy figure who managed Wagner’s operations and allegedly served in Russian military intelligence.

Russia’s Investigative Committee, which probes serious crimes, said it opened an investigation into the crash. The bodies of eight people have been found so far at the site of the crash, RIA Novosti said citing the emergency services.