Plane Crashes In Far East Russia After Going Missing From Radar, No Survivors Reported

A Russian passenger plane with approximately 50 people, including children and crew, vanished from radar while approaching Tynda in the Amur region.

Plane With Nearly 50 People Aboard Goes 'Missing' In Far East Russia

Source : X

A Russian passenger aircraft carrying approximately 50 people has crashed in the country’s far eastern Amur region, with early reports indicating no survivors, according to local news agencies.

The Antonov An-24 aircraft, operated by Siberia-based airline Angara, lost contact with air traffic control while approaching the town of Tynda, near Russia’s border with China, the local emergencies ministry confirmed on Thursday.

Rescue teams later located the burning wreckage of the plane in the remote area. “An Mi-8 helicopter operated by Rosaviatsiya [Russia’s civil aviation authority] has spotted the burning fuselage of the aircraft,” the ministry stated via its official Telegram channel.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but preliminary reports suggest poor visibility and a possible error by the flight crew during landing may have contributed to the disaster, Russia’s TASS news agency reported.

Regional Governor Vasily Orlov said early data showed the plane had 43 passengers on board, including five children, along with six crew members. However, Russia’s emergencies ministry offered a slightly lower estimate, putting the total number of people on board at about 40.

Debris from the aircraft was found scattered across the crash site in the Amur region, and no survivors have been located as of the latest updates.

Russia’s vast and often rugged terrain poses unique challenges to aviation, particularly in remote regions like the Arctic and the far east, where severe weather and limited infrastructure can make flying more hazardous.

While aviation safety standards in Russia have improved in recent years, the country continues to experience fatal crashes, especially involving ageing aircraft. In 2021, two Antonov An-26 crashes in the far east killed a total of 34 people. Non-fatal incidents, including emergency landings and rerouted flights due to mechanical faults, remain relatively common.