Russia plane crash
Videos released by Russian investigators showed thick smoke rising from the crash site in a densely wooded area.

Russia Plane Crash: Nearly 50 Feared Dead After Aircraft Goes Down in Amur Region

Guwahati: A passenger aircraft carrying nearly 50 people crashed in a remote area of Russia’s Far Eastern Amur region on Thursday, with no immediate signs of survivors, according to authorities.

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The aircraft, a twin-propeller Antonov An-24 operated by Angara Airlines, had taken off from Blagoveshchensk and was en route to Tynda when it disappeared from radar around 1 pm local time (0400 GMT).

A rescue helicopter later located the wreckage, finding the burning fuselage on a forested mountain slope approximately 16 kilometers from Tynda.

Videos released by Russian investigators showed thick smoke rising from the crash site in a densely wooded area.

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Emergency teams reported no evidence of survivors. The regional civil defence agency stated that 25 personnel and five vehicles were dispatched, with four aircraft on standby. Difficult terrain was cited as a major obstacle to reaching the crash site on foot.

“The main search operations are being conducted from the air,” a rescuer told state news agency TASS.

Authorities said the aircraft was carrying 43 passengers and six crew members, including five children, according to Amur region Governor Vassily Orlov. However, some reports, including from TASS citing emergency services, stated the total number of passengers was 40.

The crash occurred as the aircraft attempted a second landing approach to Tynda Airport, the Far Eastern Transport Prosecutor’s Office said.

“While approaching Tynda Airport, the aircraft went around for a second landing, after which contact was lost. The circumstances are being investigated,” it said. No immediate cause of the crash was provided.

TASS also reported that the aircraft was manufactured nearly 50 years ago and had its airworthiness certificate extended until 2036, though this information could not be independently confirmed.

The Antonov An-24, a Soviet-era aircraft first introduced in 1959, remains in service in some remote areas of Russia despite efforts in recent years to transition to newer models. Accidents involving aging aircraft are not uncommon in such regions.

Angara Airlines, based in Irkutsk, has not yet issued a public statement regarding the incident.