All 46 Onboard Killed as Passenger Plane Crashes in Russia's Far East

By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu

A devastating plane crash in Russia’s far east has claimed the lives of all 46 people onboard. The An-24 aircraft, operated by Angara Airlines, went down on Thursday while nearing the town of Tynda, located in the Amur region near the Chinese border.

Russian state media, TASS, reported that the plane failed to reach its scheduled checkpoint and lost radar contact after attempting a go-around. Rescuers found the wreckage, including a burned fuselage, about 16 kilometers from Tynda on a mountainside. An aerial inspection confirmed there were no survivors.

The plane was originally believed to have 43 passengers, five of whom were children, along with six crew members. However, emergency services later updated the figures, confirming there were 40 passengers—two of them children—and six crew members.

No distress calls were made before contact was lost, and poor visibility in the region, compounded by dense forests and swamps, made rescue operations challenging. Initial investigations suggest that human error during the low-visibility approach could have played a role in the crash.

A criminal investigation has been launched as authorities work to determine the exact cause of the tragedy.