Dozens Feared D£ad After Plane Cr¶sh In Russia

Dozens Feared Dead After Plane Crash In Russia

An An-24 aircraft of Angara Airlines, the same model that crashed in Amur region of Russia. (Right) Aan aerial view of the crash site of the Antonov AN-24 passenger plane outside the town of Tynda | Reuters
Almost 50 people, including children, are believed to have died after a passenger plane crashed in Russia’s Amur region on Thursday.

The aircraft, an Antonov An-24, disappeared from radar while flying from Khabarovsk to Blagoveshchensk and Tynda in the far eastern part of the country.

The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations confirmed that wreckage from the plane was discovered about 16 kilometers from Tynda, on a mountain slope.

The area is covered in swampy forest and has no roads, making access difficult.

A search helicopter spotted the burning remains of the aircraft, but no survivors were seen.

Officials said the plane had 43 passengers on board, including five children, along with six crew members.

Preliminary reports from emergency services suggest that all those on board lost their lives.

The crash happened shortly after the crew made a second attempt to land, having failed the first time.

There were no distress signals before the aircraft went down.

The Far Eastern Transport Prosecutor’s Office and the Interstate Aviation Committee have both launched investigations into what caused the crash and why communication with the aircraft was lost.

The plane was just a few miles from its destination when contact was cut off.

Records show the aircraft was built in 1976.

It belonged to Angara Airlines, a carrier based in Irkutsk, Siberia.

Search and rescue teams are still working at the crash site, but rough terrain and poor accessibility have slowed down efforts.