Russian plane with 49 people aboard crashes; all feared dead
A Russian Antonov passenger plane carrying 49 people, including 5 children and 6 cabin crew members, crashed in Russia’s far eastern Amur region, with everyone on board feared dead, local emergency services said.
According to Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry, the burning fuselage of the 50-year-old Soviet-designed plane was spotted Thursday in a densely forested area more than 7,000 kilometers (4,350 miles) east of Moscow.
"During the search operation, an Mi-8 helicopter belonging to Rossaviatsiya discovered the fuselage of the aircraft, which was on fire," local media cited the ministry as saying.
Russia’s transport prosecutor’s office reported that debris from the plane was found on a hill around 15 km (10 miles) from Tynda, and that the plane attempted a second approach while trying to land when contact with it was lost.
The plane was en route from the city of Blagoveshchensk to Tynda, a town with an important railway junction in the Amur region bordering China.
Amur regional governor Vasily Orlov said that rescuers had still been unable to reach the remote location where the plane crashed.
"Rescuers continue to make their way to the scene of the accident," Russian authorities said.
The aircraft was operated by Siberia-based Angara Airlines, which last year asked the Russian government to extend the service life of the Antonov aircraft.
Many planes were due to be retired from service in the coming years, but regional airlines are trying to keep them flying until a replacement enters service.
Russian officials have reportedly initiated a probe into flight safety violations that resulted in the tragic incident.
Russian aviation experts argue that the cost of maintaining the Antonovs, which make up a fraction of Russia's fleet of over 1,000 passenger planes, has increased after Western sanctions against Russia hit investment and access to parts.
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