Scores feared dead as passenger plane crashes in Russia

A devastating air disaster struck Russia’s Far East on Thursday, as a passenger aircraft carrying nearly 50 people crashed in a remote part of the Amur region, leaving no immediate signs of survivors, according to official sources.

The ill-fated flight, a twin-engine Antonov-24 operated by Angara Airlines, had departed Blagoveshchensk en route to Tynda when it disappeared from radar at approximately 1:00 p.m. local time (0400 GMT).

After hours of frantic searching, a rescue helicopter located the wreckage on a forest-covered mountain slope, roughly 16 kilometres from Tynda. Reports indicate that the aircraft was engulfed in flames, painting a grim picture of the crash site.

Video footage shared by Russian investigators captured thick smoke rising from the debris deep within the dense forest.

According to local rescue officials, those aboard the helicopter saw no indications of survivors. The civil defence agency in Amur region said a ground team was on its way to the crash site to continue the search.

“At the moment, 25 people and five units of equipment have been dispatched, and four aircraft with crews are on standby,” it said.

The forest terrain has made getting to the site difficult, a rescuer told the state TASS news agency.

“The main search operations are being conducted from the air,” they said.

Angara Airlines, a small regional carrier based in the Russian city of Irkutsk, made no immediate public comment.

– Plane attempted ‘second landing’ –

The plane was carrying 43 passengers and six crew members on board, according to the region’s governor Vassily Orlov.

Among the passengers were five children, he said.

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

The plane crashed while attempting a second approach to Tynda airport, Russia’s Far Eastern Transport Prosecutor’s Office said.

“While approaching Tynda Airport, the aircraft went around for a second landing, after which contact was lost,” it said.

“The circumstances are being investigated,” it said.

It did not make any immediate comment on what caused the crash.

The state TASS news agency reported that the plane was manufactured almost 50 years ago.

“In 2021, the aircraft’s airworthiness certificate was extended until 2036,” it reported, citing a source in aviation services.

AFP was not able to immediately verify this information.

The Antonov-24 is a popular, Soviet-designed twin-propeller plane that first entered into service in 1959.

Russia has taken steps to switch from Soviet aircraft to modern jets in recent years, but ageing light aircraft are still widely used in far-flung regions, with accidents frequent.