A passenger plane, an Antonov An-24, crashed in Russia’s far east on Thursday, with approximately 50 people on board. Initial reports from Russian emergency services officials indicate that all passengers and crew perished in the incident.
The wreckage of the Soviet-era aircraft, which has been in service for almost 50 years, was located on the ground by a helicopter. Rescue teams are en route to the crash site.
An unverified video circulating on social media, purportedly taken from a helicopter, suggests the plane crashed in a heavily wooded area.
The aircraft, identified by its tail number as built in 1976, was operated by Angara, an airline based in Siberia.
The An-24 was flying from Blagoveshchensk to Tynda when it disappeared from radar as it approached Tynda, a remote town in the Amur region near the Chinese border.
According to preliminary information from regional governor Vasily Orlov, the plane carried 43 passengers, including five children, and six crew members.
The emergencies ministry provided a slightly lower estimate, stating that around 40 people were on board.
Interfax news agency, citing emergency service officials, reported that debris from the aircraft was discovered on a hill roughly 15 km (10 miles) from Tynda.
“During the search operation, a Mi-8 helicopter belonging to Rossaviatsiya discovered the fuselage of the aircraft, which was on fire,” Yuliya Petina, an emergency services official, posted on Telegram.
“Rescuers continue to make their way to the scene of the accident.”
Authorities have announced the launch of an investigation to determine the cause of the crash.
