Russia Plane Crash Kills All 49 Onboard

MOSCOW – A tragic air disaster struck Russia’s far eastern Amur region on Thursday as a passenger aircraft carrying nearly 50 people crashed in a remote, forested area near the town of Tynda. Authorities reported no immediate signs of survivors.

The aircraft, a twin-propeller Antonov-24 operated by Angara Airlines, disappeared from radar around 1:00 PM local time (0400 GMT) while en route from Blagoveshchensk to Tynda. A rescue helicopter later located the burning wreckage on a forested mountain slope approximately 16 kilometers (10 miles) from Tynda.

Dramatic videos released by Russian investigators showed plumes of smoke rising from the crash site amid dense forest terrain. Rescue crews aboard helicopters observed the scene but reported no evidence of survivors. Local civil defense officials said ground teams had been dispatched, including 25 personnel, five pieces of equipment, and four standby aircraft.

“The challenging forest terrain is complicating rescue efforts,” one official told state news agency TASS, emphasizing that most operations were currently being conducted from the air.

The ill-fated plane was carrying 43 passengers and six crew members, according to Amur region Governor Vassily Orlov. Among the passengers were five children. However, some reports from TASS suggested the number of passengers may have been 40.

The Far Eastern Transport Prosecutor’s Office said the aircraft was on a second approach to Tynda Airport when it crashed. “While approaching Tynda Airport, the aircraft went around for a second landing, after which contact was lost,” the office confirmed. Investigations are currently underway to determine the cause.

The aircraft involved in the crash was reportedly manufactured nearly 50 years ago. Despite its age, TASS reported that its airworthiness certificate had been extended to 2036, though this information has not been independently verified.

The Antonov-24 is a Soviet-era aircraft first introduced in 1959 and remains in use in some remote regions of Russia. While the country has gradually shifted toward modern jets, older aircraft like the An-24 continue to serve far-flung areas, where aviation accidents remain a concern.

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Angara Airlines, based in Irkutsk, has yet to issue an official statement regarding the crash.