Russian Passenger Plane Crashes Near Tynda, All 48 Feared Dead

A passenger plane crashed near Tynda in eastern Russia, killing all 48 people on board. The nearly 50-year-old aircraft went down during poor weather. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

A passenger aircraft flying from Blagoveshchensk to Tynda in eastern Russia crashed on Thursday, with no indication that any of the nearly 50 people on board survived, according to Russian authorities.

The wreckage of the Angara Airlines Antonov An-24, one of the oldest passenger planes still in operation, was located about 15 kilometers (9 miles) from Tynda, the Civil Defense Ministry said.

There are no known survivors.

Rescue operations were initially hindered by rough terrain and poor weather conditions, but local officials reported they were able to access the crash site later in the afternoon.

Vasily Orlov, governor of the Amur region where the crash occurred, stated that the plane was carrying 43 passengers, including five children, as well as six crew members. However, the Russian government later said there were 42 passengers on board, which would bring the total number of people on the flight to 48.

The aircraft reportedly vanished from radar during its second approach to Tynda.

According to the ministry, the crew did not report any issues before the crash, although the region was experiencing difficult weather at the time.

Media reports indicated that the poor weather conditions may have caused altitude miscalculations, possibly leading the plane to clip treetops as it neared the airport.

Authorities noted that the aircraft had been inspected before takeoff, and no defects were found. The flight had originally departed from Khabarovsk and made a stopover in Blagoveshchensk before continuing to Tynda.

The aircraft was nearly 50 years old, having been built in 1976, according to Russian news outlets.

Russia’s aviation industry has faced mounting challenges, particularly due to Western sanctions imposed in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, which have affected the availability of spare parts and other critical aviation resources.

Russian prosecutors have launched an investigation into the Siberia-based airline that operated the flight.