Russian plane carrying around 50 passengers crashes in far east of Russia

A passenger plane carrying nearly 50 people crashed on Thursday in a remote forested area of Russia’s far eastern Amur region, with no immediate signs of survivors, according to local authorities.

The aircraft, a twin-propeller Antonov-24 operated by Angara Airlines, was en route from the city of Blagoveshchensk to the town of Tynda when it disappeared from radar at approximately 1:00 pm local time (0400 GMT).

Wreckage Found on Forested Slope
Shortly after, a rescue helicopter located the burning fuselage on a mountainous, forested slope roughly 16 kilometers (10 miles) from Tynda.
Videos shared by Russian investigators showed thick columns of smoke rising from the crash site, deep within a dense forest.

Rescue teams aboard the helicopter reported no visible signs of survivors.
“The main search operations are being conducted from the air,” a rescuer told the state-run TASS news agency, adding that the forest terrain had made it difficult to access the crash site.

Search and Rescue Efforts Underway
The Amur region’s civil defense agency confirmed that ground teams were being mobilized to reach the scene.
"At the moment, 25 people and five units of equipment have been dispatched, and four aircraft with crews are on standby," it said.

Conflicting Passenger Numbers
According to Amur region governor Vassily Orlov, the plane was carrying 43 passengers and six crew members, including five children. However, Russia’s TASS news agency cited emergency services reporting a slightly different count: 40 passengers and six crew members.

Attempted Second Landing
Authorities say the aircraft crashed while trying to make a second approach to land at Tynda airport.
"While approaching Tynda Airport, the aircraft went around for a second landing, after which contact was lost," Russia's Far Eastern Transport Prosecutor’s Office stated.
"The circumstances are being investigated."

There was no immediate comment from Angara Airlines regarding the incident.

Ageing Aircraft
The Antonov-24, a Soviet-designed aircraft first introduced in 1959, remains widely used in Russia's remote regions despite efforts to modernize the national fleet.
TASS reported that the crashed aircraft was nearly 50 years old but had its airworthiness certificate extended in 2021, allowing operation until 2036. This information could not be independently verified by AFP.