Plane Vanishes, Then Crashes: 49 Feared Dead in Russia's Amur Region as Recovery Efforts Face Challenges
Moscow (The Uttam Hindu): An AN24 aircraft crashed in Russia's Amur region on Thursday, killing 49 people on board. The dead include 5 children and 6 crew members. The plane took off from Blagoveshchensk. It was heading towards Tynda, located near the Russia-China border, but shortly before the scheduled landing, the plane lost contact with air traffic control. This flight was operated by Siberia's Angara Airlines.
According to Russia's state news agency 'TASS', the plane reportedly caught fire in the air and disappeared from the radar. Rescue helicopters then found burning debris on a remote hill about 16 kilometers from Tinda. Officials at the Amur Center of Civil Defense and Fire Safety confirmed, "When an MI-8 search helicopter flew over the crash site, no passenger was found alive." According to the information, the plane caught fire as soon as it fell. A spokesperson said, "Rescue operations have become extremely difficult, as the accident took place on a steep and inaccessible slope." The geographical conditions of the area are also proving to be a major obstacle in relief work. Dense taiga forest and swampy land have made it difficult for rescue teams to reach the site.
The shocking thing was that the plane did not send any 'distress signal' before crashing, which has deepened the question that what happened suddenly in the plane, which could not be sensed. Initial reports suggest that the AN-24 plane was trying to land at Tynda airport for the second time, when it disappeared from the radar. On receiving the information, a Rosaviatsia aircraft and several rescue teams were immediately sent to the area. Amur Region Governor Vasily Orlov said, "All necessary forces and means have been deployed to search for the plane." Investigators of the Far Eastern Transport Prosecutor's Office have started investigating the incident. Investigators of the Far Eastern Transport Prosecutor's Office have started a formal investigation into the accident. The cause of the accident will be known only after the black box is found.
To read this news in Hindi, Click here