A tragic air disaster has struck Russia’s Far East, as a passenger aircraft carrying nearly 50 people reportedly crashed in the Amur region on Thursday, with no survivors believed to have been found.
According to Russian news agency IFAX, debris from the aircraft was discovered in a remote area near the town of Tynda, close to the border with China.
The ill-fated flight, operated by Siberia-based Angara Airlines, was an An-24 turboprop aircraft that went missing while making its approach to Tynda airport.
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Citing emergency service sources, Reuters reported that all those onboard are feared dead, although authorities are yet to issue an official casualty confirmation.
The plane reportedly disappeared from radar just moments before landing, and no communication has been made with the flight crew since.
A dramatic video shared by RT on social media showed what appeared to be the burning wreckage of the aircraft’s fuselage, reportedly discovered by a search helicopter. Emergency response teams have since been deployed to the crash site.
Regional Governor Vasily Orlov confirmed that “all necessary forces and means have been deployed” for rescue and recovery operations.
Initial reports from his office stated that 43 passengers, including five children, and six crew members were on the flight.
However, the local emergencies ministry provided a slightly different estimate, suggesting around 40 people were on board. RT later reported a total of 49 people, comprising five children and six crew, and stated that “there were no survivors.”
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and aviation authorities are expected to release preliminary findings in the coming days.
This incident adds to the troubling history of aviation safety in remote regions of Russia, where harsh weather, outdated aircraft, and challenging terrain often pose significant risks to flight operations.
