MOSCOW - The missile of Syria's S-200 air defense system shot down the Russian Il-20 surveillance plane by mistake on Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

A Russian aircraft with 14 servicemen on board went off radar near the Hmeymim airbase in Syria Monday evening and the Hmeymim airbase has launched a search and rescue operation for the missing aircraft, said the Russian Defense Ministry in a statement.

The Russian maritime patrol aircraft was accidentally shot down by the Syrian government's anti-aircraft artillery when they were fighting against missile attacks, reported CNN earlier citing an anonymous US official.

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.