By Deborah Nnamdi
A Soviet-era Antonov An-24 passenger aircraft, carrying approximately 50 people, crashed on Thursday in a remote area of Russia’s Far East, with initial reports indicating that all those on board may have perished, according to Russian emergency services.
The aircraft, nearly five decades old and operated by the Siberian regional carrier Angara Airlines, disappeared from radar while approaching its destination, the remote town of Tynda in the Amur region near the Chinese border. The plane had departed from the city of Blagoveshchensk.
Authorities confirmed that the fuselage of the aircraft was discovered engulfed in flames on the forested terrain, spotted by a Mi-8 helicopter deployed during the search operation. Emergency crews are currently making their way to the crash site, which is located on a hillside approximately 15 kilometers (about 10 miles) from Tynda, officials reported.
Yuliya Petina, a representative from Russia’s emergency services, stated on Telegram, “During the search operation, a Mi-8 helicopter belonging to Rossaviatsiya discovered the fuselage of the aircraft, which was on fire. Rescuers continue to make their way to the scene of the accident.”
Unverified footage, reportedly filmed from a helicopter and shared on social media, appears to show the wreckage amid dense forest, further confirming the remote nature of the crash site.
Preliminary passenger data released by regional governor Vasily Orlov indicated that 49 individuals were on board, including 43 passengers—five of them children—and six crew members. However, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations later reported a slightly lower figure, estimating that around 40 people were aboard the flight.
The aircraft involved, identified by its tail number as having been built in 1976, is part of the aging Antonov An-24 fleet—twin turboprop planes developed in the Soviet Union during the 1960s and still in use in some remote regions of Russia and former Soviet republics.
An official investigation into the cause of the crash has been launched. The incident has raised renewed concerns about the continued operation of aging aircraft models in Russia’s regional aviation network, especially in harsh and isolated environments where alternatives are limited.
Source: Reuters
