Russian plane with 49 crashes, no sign of survivors

A Russian An-24 twin turboprop passenger plane crashed during a flight in Russia's Far East on Thursday. Officials stated that malfunction and human error are being considered as possible causes of the accident.

According to Vasily Orlov, governor of the Amur Region, there were 49 people on board, including five children and six crew members. The crash caused a fire, and preliminary data indicate there are no survivors.

Chinese Consulate General in Khabarovsk confirmed that one Chinese national was onboard the plane.

The aircraft was en route from the regional capital Blagoveshchensk to Tynda, a destination approximately 600 kilometers away.

According to the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, the airliner attempted a second landing after aborting its initial approach, losing contact during the maneuver in cloudy conditions. Wreckage was located approximately 15 km from Tynda airport on a mountainside. Rescue helicopters cannot land due to rugged terrain and dense forests, forcing rescue teams to proceed on foot.

While the precise cause remains undetermined, the investigative committee has initiated a criminal investigation, citing potential equipment failure and human error. Local media quoted unnamed sources stating the crew issued no distress signal, and the emergency beacon failed to activate.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin established a government commission, headed by Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin, to address the consequences of the crash. Nikitin and Federal Air Transport Agency chief Dmitry Yadrov were dispatched to the crash site at Mishustin's direction. President Vladimir Putin has also been briefed about the crash, according to his spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

The Antonov An-24, designed in the 1950s, is typically used for regional passenger and cargo transport. The Federal Air Transport Agency confirmed this model has been involved in four aviation accidents since 2018 and remains in limited commercial service in Russia.

The crashed aircraft belonged to Angara Airlines, which operates routes throughout the Far East and Eastern Siberia.