A Siberia-based Angara Airlines An-24 plane carrying 49 people, including five children, crashed near Tynda in Russia’s far east. Officials cite pilot error and low visibility as likely causes.
Air traffic controllers lost contact on Thursday with an An-24 passenger plane carrying about 50 people in Russia’s far eastern Amur region, triggering an urgent search operation, officials said.
The aircraft, operated by Siberia-based Angara Airlines, disappeared from radar screens as it approached its destination of Tynda, a town near the Chinese border. The local emergencies ministry confirmed that the plane dropped off radar during final approach.
Amur regional governor Vasily Orlov stated that according to initial information, 43 passengers, including five children, and six crew members were on board the flight from Blagoveshchensk to Tynda.
“All necessary forces and means have been deployed to search for the plane,” Orlov announced on Telegram.
The Russian emergencies ministry had initially suggested a lower figure, saying approximately 40 people were believed to be onboard.
Later in the day, state media outlet TASS confirmed that all 49 people aboard the flight had died, citing emergency services. A search and rescue helicopter reportedly located the burning wreckage of the aircraft in a remote area.
The An-24 plane had been scheduled to land in Tynda but failed to make contact with the control tower. Russian authorities said they are investigating the incident and cited pilot error and poor visibility as the likely causes of the crash, according to preliminary findings.
This tragedy adds to growing concerns about air safety in Russia’s regional aviation network, particularly in isolated areas with limited ground infrastructure and harsh weather conditions.
