MOSCOW, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- A Russian aircraft with 14 servicemen on board went off radar near Hmeymim airbase in Syria Monday evening, the Russian defense ministry said in a statement.

"On September 17, at about 11 p.m. Moscow time (2000 GMT), the communication with the crew of the Russian Il-20 aircraft was lost when it was over the Mediterranean Sea, some 35 kilometers from the Syrian coast, on its way back to Hmeymim airbase," the statement said.

The Hmeymim airbase has launched a search and rescue operation, added the statement.

Earlier on Monday, Syrian media reported a missile attack on the Syrian city of Latakia.

The Syrian government has yet to name the party behind the attack but the

state TV was pointing to Israel as the perpetrator.