Russian plane crashes in Russia’s far east, nearly 50 people on board feared dead

A passenger plane carrying nearly 50 people crashed in a remote spot in Russia’s far eastern region of Amur on Thursday, with authorities reporting no immediate signs of survivors.

The aircraft, a twin-propeller Antonov-24 operated by Angara Airlines, was en route to the town of Tynda from the city of Blagoveshchensk when it disappeared from radar at approximately 1:00 pm local time (0400 GMT).

A rescue helicopter later located the “burning fuselage” of the plane on a “forested mountain slope about 16 kilometres (10 miles) from Tynda”. Videos released by Russian investigators appeared to show “columns of smoke billowing from the wreckage of the plane in a dense, forested area”.

Rescuers in the helicopter observed no evidence of survivors, according to local rescuers, prompting the Amur region’s civil defence agency to dispatch a ground team to the challenging site.

An initial dispatch included “25 people and five units of equipment,” with “four aircraft with crews on standby”.

A rescuer told the state TASS news agency that the “forest terrain has made getting to the site difficult,” with “The main search operations being conducted from the air”.

The plane was carrying 43 passengers and six crew members on board, as stated by the region’s governor, Vassily Orlov, who also noted that five children were among the passengers.

However, Russia’s state TASS news agency, citing emergency services, reported the plane was carrying 40 passengers and six crew.

Russia’s Far Eastern Transport Prosecutor’s Office stated that the plane crashed while attempting a “second approach to Tynda airport”. “While approaching Tynda Airport, the aircraft went around for a second landing, after which contact was lost,” the office reported, adding that “The circumstances are being investigated” without immediate comment on the cause.

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The state TASS news agency further reported that the crashed plane was manufactured almost 50 years ago, though its “airworthiness certificate was extended until 2036” in 2021, citing a source in aviation services.

The Antonov-24 is a widely used, Soviet-designed twin-propeller aircraft that first entered service in 1959.

Despite Russia’s efforts to transition to modern jets, aging light aircraft remain common in remote regions, contributing to frequent accidents.

Angara Airlines, the regional carrier operating the flight, had made no immediate public comment following the incident.