Old soviet-era plane crashes in Russia, nearly 50 feared dead

A passenger aircraft 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 official reports.

The aircraft, a twin-engine Antonov-24 operated by Angara Airlines, had departed from Blagoveshchensk and was headed to Tynda when it disappeared from radar at around 1:00 p.m. local time.

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Later, a rescue helicopter located the burning wreckage about 16 kilometres from Tynda, deep in a forested mountain area.

Footage released by Russian investigators showed smoke billowing from the charred debris, highlighting the challenging terrain.

Rescue officials on board the helicopter said there were no visible signs of life at the crash site.

The civil defence agency confirmed that ground teams were en route, although thick forest and rugged terrain were slowing access.

“So far, 25 rescue workers and five equipment units have been deployed, with four aircraft on standby for additional support,” the agency stated.

According to Vassily Orlov, the governor of the Amur region, the plane was carrying 43 passengers and six crew members, including five children.

However, the TASS news agency reported a slightly different figure, 40 passengers and six crew.

Officials said the aircraft had been attempting a second approach to land at Tynda Airport when contact was lost.

“While approaching Tynda Airport, the aircraft went around for a second landing, after which contact was lost,” the Far Eastern Transport Prosecutor’s Office confirmed.

Investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing, with no immediate explanation provided.

TASS also reported that the Antonov-24 aircraft involved in the crash was nearly 50 years old, although it had reportedly received an airworthiness extension valid until 2036.

AFP was unable to verify this claim independently.

The Antonov-24, a Soviet-designed plane first introduced in 1959, remains widely used in Russia’s remote regions despite its age.

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While the country has attempted to modernize its fleet, many older aircraft continue to serve smaller towns and rural communities, making aviation incidents like this tragically common.

AFP