Nearly 50 Feared Dead as Plane Clashes into Remote Russian Mountain Forest

A regional passenger flight carrying almost 50 people has crashed in Russia’s far eastern Amur region, with no immediate signs of survivors reported by rescuers on the ground and in the air.

The aircraft, an Antonov-24 twin-propeller plane operated by Angara Airlines, was en route from Blagoveshchensk to the remote town of Tynda when it vanished from radar around 1:00 pm local time (0400 GMT) on Thursday.

Hours later, a rescue helicopter located the wreckage—still burning—on a forested mountain slope roughly 16 kilometres from its intended destination.

Footage released by Russian investigators showed thick smoke rising from the crash site, surrounded by dense woodland. Rescuers flying over the area saw no movement or signs of life.

“At the moment, 25 people and five units of equipment have been dispatched, and four aircraft with crews are on standby,” said the Amur region’s civil defence agency.

Local search teams faced serious difficulty reaching the wreckage by land due to the rugged, forested terrain.

“The main search operations are being conducted from the air,” a rescuer told state news agency TASS.

The operator, Angara Airlines—a regional carrier based in Irkutsk—has yet to release a public statement.

SECOND LANDING ATTEMPT ENDS IN DISASTER

According to the regional governor, Vassily Orlov, the plane was carrying 43 passengers and six crew members. Among them were five children. Conflicting figures from TASS, citing emergency services, placed the passenger number at 40.

Officials from Russia’s Far Eastern Transport Prosecutor’s Office said the aircraft crashed while trying to land at Tynda for a second time.

“While approaching Tynda Airport, the aircraft went around for a second landing, after which contact was lost,” the prosecutor’s office confirmed.

“The circumstances are being investigated.”

No explanation has yet been given for what prompted the second approach or what caused the crash.

TASS also reported the aircraft had a long service history, stating:

“In 2021, the aircraft’s airworthiness certificate was extended until 2036,” quoting a source in aviation services.

The Antonov-24, first introduced in 1959, is a Soviet-era aircraft still used in many remote parts of Russia. Despite efforts to modernize the country’s aviation fleet, ageing aircraft like the An-24 remain in service where access and infrastructure are limited—especially in Siberia and the far east.

Crashes involving older planes are not uncommon in these distant regions, where poor weather and rugged terrain often make flying risky, and safety standards remain a challenge.