All Feared Dead After Russian Passenger Plane Crashes Near Tynda

A regional flight operated by Angara Airlines has crashed in eastern Russia, leaving no survivors among the 46 to 49 people believed to have been aboard. The aircraft, an An-24, vanished from radar just a few kilometers before reaching its destination at Tynda Airport in the Amur region.

File Photo: President Putin: Russian Embassy

Authorities confirmed the plane’s wreckage was found on a remote mountainside approximately 16 kilometers from the airport. Emergency teams dispatched to the crash site reported that no passengers or crew were found alive.

The flight was part of a scheduled service operating from Khabarovsk to Blagoveshchensk to Tynda. Preliminary estimates vary slightly, with first responders reporting 40 passengers, including two children, along with six crew members. 

Other regional authorities cited 43 passengers, including three children.

The Russian government has launched a multi-agency investigation to determine the cause. Officials are currently examining the possibility of mechanical failure or human error, though no definitive cause has been confirmed. 

The Eastern Transport Investigations Department, alongside the Interstate Aviation Committee, has begun technical assessments. A separate probe into potential operational rule violations has also been opened.

President Vladimir Putin has been briefed on the tragedy, while Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has ordered the creation of a dedicated commission to oversee response efforts, led by Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin. 

The Prosecutor General’s Office has issued directives to increase aviation safety oversight across the region.

In the wake of the disaster, Amur Governor Vasily Orlov declared an official state of emergency and announced three days of mourning across the region. A round-the-clock task force has been activated to coordinate rescue and recovery operations in the difficult terrain.

The An-24, a twin turboprop aircraft introduced in the Soviet era, has long been in service across remote areas of Russia, but its safety record has raised concerns in recent years due to aging fleets and tough environmental conditions.