A Russian passenger plane carrying nearly 50 people, including five children and six crew members, has crashed in the Amur region near the Chinese border, leaving no survivors, emergency officials have confirmed.
The twin-engine An-24 aircraft, operated by Angara Airlines, disappeared from radar on Thursday morning while attempting to land at Tynda Airport. Russian news agency Interfax reported that the plane crashed on a mountainside about 15km from the town of Tynda after a second landing attempt failed.
“Fifteen kilometres from Tynda, the wreckage of an An-24 was found on a slope. The plane was destroyed,” the Russian emergencies ministry said.
Rescuers arriving at the crash site found the fuselage burning, with no signs of survivors, according to Reuters. A Mi-8 helicopter crew conducting an aerial inspection confirmed that the wreckage was completely destroyed.
News agency TASS reported that the aircraft caught fire during its descent and that poor visibility may have played a role in the crash. Flight data and cockpit recorders will be analysed once recovered to determine the exact cause.
Angara Airlines has not yet issued a statement, and rescue operations are ongoing.