A Russian AN-24 aircraft, operated by Angara Airlines with 49 people on board has crashed in the country’s far eastern region, with officials stating there is little hope of finding survivors, according to news agency Reuters. The Siberia-based Angara airline operated the An-24 aircraft.
Rescuers discovered parts of the burning fuselage shortly after air traffic controllers lost contact with the plane. The local emergency ministry reported that the aircraft vanished from radar as it was approaching its destination, the town of Tynda in the Amur region.
According to Russian news agency Interfax, the plane disappeared during a second landing attempt after an initial approach was unsuccessful.
Regional Governor Vasily Orlov stated that, according to preliminary data, there were 43 passengers, including five children, and six crew members on board. "All necessary forces and resources have been deployed to search for the plane," Orlov wrote on his Telegram channel.
However, the country's emergency ministry provided a slightly lower estimate, suggesting about 40 people were on the flight.
Media reports indicate that an aerial search of the crash site revealed "no sign" of survivors. The Antonov An-24 turboprop aircraft crashed into a forest-covered hill while making its second attempt to land at Tynda airport.
The state-run TASS news agency, citing the regional civil defence and fire safety centre, reported that no survivors were spotted during an aerial inspection of the site. "According to the director of Tynda Airport, the plane caught fire upon impact, and a Mi-8 helicopter crew flying over the area reported no signs of survivors," it said.
The 50-year-old aircraft was on the Khabarovsk-Tynda-Blagoveshchensk route, the governor confirmed.
Experts quoted by Radio BFM have suggested that "human error" in poor weather could be a potential cause, while others have pointed to a possible engine problem.
In response to the tragedy, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has ordered a high-level investigation into the crash and has mandated that compensation be provided to the families of the victims.
