A plane crash in Russia has claimed the lives of all 48 people on board.
All 48 Killed in A24 Plane Crash Near Russian Forest
The aircraft involved was an Antonov A-24, operated by Angara Airlines.
According to BBC News, the A24 plane went missing just 16 kilometres (about 10 miles) from its destination, Tynda Airport, located in Russia’s far-eastern Amur region.
The plane had taken off from Blagoveshchensk, a city near the Chinese border. It was carrying 42 passengers, including five children, and six crew members.
Russian officials confirmed that the wreckage was found on a hillside, and video footage from the crash site showed parts of the plane burning in a dense forest.
Rescue teams reached the area about an hour later, but no one was found alive.
Early Clues on What Might Have Caused the Crash
Investigators are still trying to understand why the plane went down. Emergency officials have said that bad weather or a technical problem could be to blame. Pilot error is also being looked into.
Officials from Russia’s civil aviation authority noted that although the plane had passed a technical check recently, it was nearly 50 years old and had experienced multiple problems in the past.
According to reports, the same plane had been involved in at least four other incidents since 2018.
Amur regional governor Vasily Orlov said “all necessary resources” were deployed to find the aircraft once it disappeared from radar. A civil aviation helicopter later spotted the burning fuselage in a remote woodland area.
Russia’s emergencies ministry confirmed that efforts are ongoing to recover bodies and investigate the cause of the crash. Authorities say they will closely examine the aircraft’s flight history and maintenance records.