A passenger plane carrying nearly 50 people crashed in a remote, forested area of Russia’s Amur region, with no signs of survivors reported by local authorities.
The twin-propeller Antonov-24, operated by Angara Airlines, disappeared from radar while flying from Blagoveshchensk to Tynda around 1pm local time (0400 GMT).
A rescue helicopter later spotted the burning remains of the aircraft on a forested mountain slope, about 16 kilometres (10 miles) from its intended destination, Tynda.
Videos released by Russian investigators showed thick smoke rising from the wreckage in the dense forest, with no visible signs of survivors at the crash site.
Authorities said 25 personnel and five vehicles have been sent to the scene. Four additional aircraft are on standby to assist in the ongoing rescue mission.
Rescuers said reaching the site has been difficult due to the rough terrain. “The main search operations are being conducted from the air,” one official told state news agency TASS.
The aircraft was carrying 43 passengers and six crew members, according to Amur Governor Vassily Orlov. Reports said five children were among the passengers.
There were conflicting reports about the number of passengers. TASS cited emergency services as saying there were 40 passengers and six crew members on board.
Russia’s Far Eastern Transport Prosecutor’s Office said the crash happened while the plane attempted a second landing at Tynda airport. It lost contact after going around again.
No official cause of the crash has been given so far. Investigators have begun collecting data as they try to determine what went wrong during the landing attempt.
The Antonov-24 is a Soviet-designed aircraft first used in 1959. Despite efforts to modernise aviation, older planes are still widely used in Russia’s remote areas.
Reports suggest the crashed plane was nearly 50 years old, but its airworthiness certificate had been extended until 2036. Angara Airlines has not issued a statement yet.
