![Unconfirmed images of a deceased Russian pilot who was shot down by Turkish forces. Photo: Twitter: @NuceNews Unconfirmed images of a deceased Russian pilot who was shot down by Turkish forces. Photo: Twitter: @NuceNews](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-feed-data/06f1bd54-2cc5-4672-98ba-6aa47b2a660f.jpg/r0_0_725_410_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
![A pilot parachutes out of the warplane that went down in Syria. Photo: Anadolu Agency A pilot parachutes out of the warplane that went down in Syria. Photo: Anadolu Agency](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-feed-data/10485804-6a04-4544-8d8d-c91076c96694.jpg/r0_0_729_410_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
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Russia's military general staff says that one of the pilots of the Su-24 warplane that was shot down by Turkey was killed by ground fire as he parachuted from his crippled plane.
Russian news agencies reported the statement on Tuesday by general staff spokesman Lieutenant-General Sergei Rudskoi, who also said that rebels in Syria fired on a Russian helicopter that was searching for the two pilots of the Su-24.
That shooting killed one crew member on the Mi-8 helicopter and forced it to land in neutral territory. The rest of the crew were evacuated, he said.
A second helicopter searching for the crew of the downed warplane in Syria was shot down by rebel fire and one serviceman was killed.
General Rudskoi, was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying on Tuesday that the Mi-8 helicopter was one of two taking part in the search.
Syrian rebels and activists say they have targeted and destroyed a Russian-made helicopter operated by the Syrian army near the area where a Russian warplane was downed by Turkey.
A rebel spokesman, Zakaria al-Ahmad, says the helicopter was flying low over mountains in Latakia province, allegedly searching for the missing Russian pilots on Tuesday.
Mr Al-Ahmad says the rebels fired a Tao missile that destroyed the helicopter after it landed and its pilots had left the aircraft.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the helicopter made an emergency landing in the area and its pilots ejected before the aircraft was hit.
British online verification group Bellingcat said that an examination of a video and photographs released of one deceased warplane pilot indicated "the video is genuine".
However, Russia's claim was contradicted by Turkish authorities, who said they had information that two pilots are alive and Turkey is trying to recover them.
CNN-Turk television said Syrian Turkmen forces fighting the Damascus regime captured one of the pilots, while Syrian opposition sources suggested one had been killed by rebels and the second was missing.
Footage from private Turkish broadcaster Haberturk TV showed the warplane going down in flames, a long plume of smoke trailing behind it as it crashed in a wooded part of an area the broadcaster said was known by Turks as "Turkmen Mountain".
Separate footage from Turkey's Anadolu Agency showed the two pilots parachuting out of the jet before it crashed.
A deputy commander of rebel Turkmen forces in Syria said his men shot both pilots dead as they came down.
A video sent to Reuters earlier appeared to show one of the pilots immobile and badly wounded on the ground.
Yet another video emerged showing what appears to be anti-Assad rebels blowing up a downed helicopter with a missile.
Throughout the conflict in Syria, as well as in Ukraine, edited videos have been released by opposing sides to advance a competing, often contradictory account of events on the ground.
AAP, Reuters and Fairfax Media