A passenger plane carrying nearly 50 people crashed Thursday in a remote area of Russia’s far eastern Amur region, with authorities reporting no immediate signs of survivors.
The Antonov An-24, a twin-propeller aircraft operated by Angara Airlines, was en route from Blagoveshchensk to Tynda when it disappeared from radar around 1:00 p.m. local time (0400 GMT).
A rescue helicopter later spotted the burning wreckage on a forested mountain slope approximately 16 kilometers (10 miles) from Tynda. Video released by investigators showed smoke rising from the crash site deep within dense woodland.
Local emergency services said there were no visible signs of survivors. “The main search operations are being conducted from the air,” one rescuer told state news agency TASS, citing the difficulty of accessing the rugged terrain.
Authorities have deployed 25 personnel, five units of equipment, and placed four additional aircraft on standby, according to the Amur region’s civil defense agency.
Plane was attempting second landing
The aircraft was carrying either 43 passengers and six crew members—or 40 passengers and six crew—according to conflicting reports from the regional governor and emergency services. At least five children were believed to be on board.
Russia’s Far Eastern Transport Prosecutor’s Office said the crash occurred during a second attempt to land at Tynda airport.
“While approaching Tynda Airport, the aircraft went around for a second landing, after which contact was lost,” the agency said.
“The circumstances are under investigation.”
No immediate cause for the crash has been confirmed.
TASS reported that the aircraft, manufactured nearly 50 years ago, had an airworthiness certificate extended until 2036.
Angara Airlines, a regional carrier based in Irkutsk, has not issued a public statement.
The Antonov An-24, a Soviet-designed plane first introduced in 1959, remains in service in remote parts of Russia, despite the country’s broader push to modernize its aviation fleet. Accidents involving older aircraft remain relatively common in Russia’s vast and often inaccessible regions.
AFP
