Russian officials have reported that an Antonov An-24 passenger plane lost contact on Thursday (July 24) in the Russian Far East region of Amur, with approximately 50 people on board. Authorities have initiated a full-scale search and rescue operation.
Governor of Amur region Vasily Orlov cited the Emergency Situations Ministry, stating on Telegram that the aircraft was originally flying from the regional capital, Blagoveshchensk, to the border town of Tynda, but disappeared from radar as it neared its destination.
Orlov mentioned that preliminary data indicated there were 43 passengers on board, including 5 children, along with 6 crew members. He wrote on Telegram, “We have deployed all necessary manpower and resources for the search.”
The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry confirmed the launch of search and rescue operations, noting that the aircraft disappeared from the radar screen several kilometers from the Tynda airport and did not respond to multiple calls.
Reports indicate that the missing flight was operated by an airline named Angara, headquartered in Siberia.
A statement revealed that the flight was operating the route from Khabarovsk to Blagoveshchensk to Tynda, with an initial estimate of around 40 passengers on board. The specific details of the incident are still being clarified.
As of now, this is breaking news, with no further information on the location of the crash or casualties reported. Please stay tuned for updates.