engine running, the remaining three could easily be started. The aircraft, with all seven of the crew aboard, quickly taxied down the runway. The Taliban tried to block the runway with a fire truck but the aircraft was able to take to the air, thus avoiding the obstacle. The escapees were able to quickly exit Taliban controlled airspace and charted a course to the United Arab Emirates. The crew's escape was greeted with excitement and relief by the Russians and Russian President Boris Yeltsin telephoned the crewmen to congratulate them as they flew to Russia on a Russian government aircraft. In popular culture In 2001 the men released a book about their ordeal called, Escape from Kandahar. Kandahar, 2010 Russian film by director Andrei Kavun about the Russian crew and their escape. The story of this is included in Operation Man Hunt () by Damien Lewis Current plane status As of November 2019, the Ilyushin Il-76TD involved in the escape, RA-76842, is still in service, but is now operated by Aviacon Zitotrans. Bibliography Notes References - Total pages: 308 External links Pictures of the crew's captivity www.airliners.net – pictures of RA-76842 Aircraft hijackings Aviation accidents and incidents in Afghanistan Taliban attacks Terrorist incidents in Afghanistan in 1995 1996 in Afghanistan Airstan accidents and incidents Accidents and incidents involving the Ilyushin Il-76 Aviation accidents and incidents in 1995 Aviation accidents and incidents in 1996 Hostage taking in Afghanistan History of Tatarstan 1996 in the United Arab Emirates Afghan Civil War (1992–1996) August 1995 events in Asia Afghanistan–Russia relations