Moscow: A Russian passenger aircraft operated by Siberia-based Angara Airlines crashed in the remote eastern Amur region on Thursday, killing all 49 people on board, international media reported.
Those killed include 43 passengers — among them five children — and six crew members, according to state news agency TASS.
The aircraft, an An-24 built in 1976 during the Soviet era, was on a scheduled flight from Blagoveshchensk to Tynda, a town near the Chinese border. It lost contact with air traffic controllers shortly before landing. The plane dropped off radar screens while approaching Tynda, prompting an immediate search and rescue operation, regional governor Vasily Orlov said in a statement.
Authorities launched a massive operation involving helicopters and ground teams. The burning fuselage of the plane was later located by a civil aviation helicopter on a hillside around 16 kilometers (10 miles) from Tynda, confirming the worst fears of officials.
According to preliminary observations cited by TASS, the crash may have resulted from crew error during landing in poor visibility conditions. Although weather conditions were reportedly challenging in the region, investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the accident.
“This is a tragic incident. All necessary forces and means were deployed to locate the aircraft,” Governor Orlov posted on Telegram.
The An-24 aircraft involved in the crash was nearly 50 years old, raising renewed concerns over the safety of aging Soviet-era planes still in operation, especially in remote and rugged regions of Russia where modern replacements are less commonly used.
Angara Airlines is a regional carrier based in Siberia, operating flights mainly across eastern Russia. The airline’s use of older aircraft, including the Antonov An-24 model, has previously drawn scrutiny due to mechanical limitations and outdated technology.
