Moscow, MINA – A Russian Antonov An-24 passenger plane crashed near Tynda in the country’s Far East on Thursday, killing all 49 people on board, authorities confirmed.
The aircraft, operated by Angara Airlines, disappeared from radar during a second landing attempt. Its wreckage was later discovered burning on a hillside about 15 kilometers from Tynda, local officials said.
The twin-engine turboprop had taken off from Blagoveshchensk, near the Russia-China border, and was en route to Tynda in the Amur region. Officials reported that 43 passengers, including five children, and six crew members were on board.
“Emergency teams have been deployed to the crash site,” Amur region governor Vasily Orlov said on Telegram. Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations confirmed the deployment of search-and-rescue units.
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Initial reports indicate conflicting figures, with the Emergency Ministry citing 48 people on board. The reason for the discrepancy remains unclear.
Russia’s Investigative Committee opened a criminal probe into possible violations of air safety regulations resulting in mass fatalities, a standard procedure following aviation disasters.
President Vladimir Putin extended condolences to the victims’ families, expressing “deep sympathy” for those affected by the crash.
The cause of the accident is under investigation. Regional airlines operating older Soviet-era aircraft such as the An-24 have been involved in several fatal crashes in Russia in recent years. []
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Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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