MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

No survivors reported in Russian airliner crash

The aircraft caught fire during descent

An Antonov An-24 twin turboprop operated by Angara Airlines crashed in the Amur region of Russia's Far East, during a short-haul flight between Blagoveshchensk and Tynda, resulting in no survivors.

Contact with the aircraft was lost around 1 pm local time during its second attempt to land at Tynda airport. The wreckage was located on a mountainside, 16 kilometers from Tynda, in a “hard-to-reach location.” Initial reports varied on the exact number of people on board, ranging from 46 to 49, including passengers (some of whom were children) and six crew members. All individuals on board perished.

The Antonov An-24 twin turboprop aircraft involved in the crash had been manufactured in 1976, and its airworthiness certificate was reportedly extended until 2036. The aircraft caught fire during its descent, and no survivors were spotted during an aerial inspection of the site, the regional civil defense and fire safety center told TASS. “According to the director of Tynda Airport, the plane caught fire upon impact, and a Mi-8 helicopter crew flying over the area reported no signs of survivors.”

The Russian Investigative Committee announced a probe into a possible “breach of regulations” and is considering malfunction and human error as potential causes.

Amur Governor Vasily Orlov declared three days of mourning in the region and an emergency situation.

Rescue teams, comprising over 150 personnel, were dispatched to the site, with helicopter footage showing a column of smoke and flames rising from a dense forest area.

Among those on board were five employees of the Russian railway service and one Chinese citizen. Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed his condolences to his Russian colleague, Vladimir Putin.

According to aviation experts, accidents are not uncommon in Russia's Far East.