No Survivors Found After Russian Plane Crashes in Remote Far East Region
A twin-propeller Antonov-24 aircraft operated by Angara Airlines crashed in a remote, forested area of Russia’s Amur region on Thursday, with authorities reporting no immediate signs of survivors.
The plane was en route from Blagoveshchensk to the town of Tynda when it vanished from radar around 1:00 p.m. local time (0400 GMT). A rescue helicopter later located the burning wreckage on a mountainous, densely wooded slope approximately 16 kilometers (10 miles) from Tynda.
Footage released by Russian investigators showed smoke rising from the crash site, surrounded by thick forest. Local emergency teams said rescuers flying over the wreck saw no indication that anyone had survived. The region’s civil defense agency confirmed that 25 personnel and five vehicles had been dispatched to the area, with four aircraft on standby to assist.
Access to the crash site is proving difficult due to the challenging terrain, according to a rescuer speaking with state-run TASS news agency. As a result, most search operations are being conducted from the air.
Angara Airlines, a regional airline based in Irkutsk, has not issued a statement on the incident.
Officials said the plane was carrying 43 passengers and six crew members, including five children. However, emergency services cited by TASS reported a slightly different figure of 40 passengers onboard.
Russia’s Far Eastern Transport Prosecutor’s Office said the aircraft lost contact with air traffic control while attempting a second landing approach at Tynda airport. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The Antonov-24, a Soviet-era plane that first entered service in 1959, is still commonly used in remote regions of Russia. The aircraft involved in Thursday’s crash was reportedly nearly 50 years old. According to TASS, its airworthiness certificate had been renewed in 2021 and was valid through 2036, although AFP could not independently confirm this.
Despite efforts to modernize its aviation fleet, Russia continues to rely on older aircraft in remote areas, where air travel remains the most practical form of transportation. Unfortunately, such regions also see frequent aviation accidents due to aging planes and difficult flying conditions.
About the Author
