A tragic plane crash occurred in Russia’s far eastern Amur region on Thursday, killing all 49 people on board. The Antonov-24, a Soviet-made twin-propeller aircraft, went down in a remote, forested area, and rescue efforts later confirmed no survivors.
On Thursday, a devastating crash took place in the Amur region of Russia, as a passenger plane carrying nearly 50 people crashed in a remote area. The flight, operated by Angara Airlines, was en route from Blagoveshchensk to Tynda when it disappeared from radar around 1 p.m. local time (0400 GMT). The plane, a Soviet-era Antonov-24, was reportedly attempting a second landing approach at Tynda when the crash occurred.
The aircraft, which was flying over thick, forested terrain, was located several hours later by a rescue helicopter about 15 kilometers south of Tynda’s airport. Videos published by Russian investigators showed a column of smoke rising from the crash site, with debris scattered across the forest floor, confirming the tragic loss of life. The forested location made it difficult for rescue teams to reach the site promptly, with most of the search operations being conducted from the air.
While the exact cause of the crash has not been confirmed, weather conditions at the time were poor, according to Angara Airlines CEO Sergei Salamanov. He stated that despite the adverse conditions, the flight proceeded under the commander’s decision.
The aircraft was carrying 43 passengers and six crew members, including five children. Among the passengers was at least one Chinese national, prompting a message of condolence from Chinese President Xi Jinping to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Antonov-24, a Soviet-designed turboprop plane that first entered service in 1959, was almost 50 years old, though it had its airworthiness certificate extended in 2021. Despite Russia’s efforts to phase out older aircraft, such planes are still in use in remote areas, and accidents involving aging aircraft remain common.
The crash occurred just days after a Bangladesh air force training jet crashed into a campus in Dhaka, resulting in 31 deaths and over 170 injuries, further highlighting the ongoing challenges of aviation safety.
The Amur region’s governor, Vasily Orlov, expressed his condolences, and Russia’s aviation watchdog has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash. Meanwhile, the search and recovery operations continue as the region grapples with the tragic loss.
