- An Antonov An-24 operated by Angara Airlines crashed near Tynda in Russia’s Far East.
- Emergency services say all passengers and crew—up to 50 people—are presumed dead.
- No distress signal was issued before the crash, and the plane vanished during landing.
- A criminal investigation has been launched into air traffic safety violations.
The Big Picture
A Russian Antonov An-24 aircraft carrying dozens of passengers and crew crashed Thursday near the city of Tynda in the Amur Region, resulting in the deaths of all those on board. According to Russian emergency officials, the plane went missing during its descent and was later discovered on a remote mountainside. Aerial inspections confirmed the absence of any survivors.
What Happened
The aircraft, operated by Angara Airlines, was flying from Khabarovsk to Tynda with a stopover in Blagoveshchensk. Officials say the plane failed to check in at a designated air control point and soon after disappeared from radar. According to the Russian state news agency TASS, the An-24 initiated a go-around during its landing approach before crashing.
The crash site was located 16 kilometers from Tynda Airport in a mountainous, forested region, complicating the search. Emergency services said the aircraft caught fire upon impact, as confirmed by a Mi-8 helicopter crew that surveyed the site.
Image: Emergency responders at the An-24 crash site in Russia’s Amur Region, Photo: TASS
Passenger Details
There are conflicting reports regarding the exact number of people on board. Emergency services reported 40 passengers, including two children, and six crew members. However, Amur Region Governor Vasily Orlov stated via Telegram that 43 passengers were on board, five of whom were children, in addition to six crew members.
What Authorities Are Saying
The Amur Civil Defense and Fire Safety Center confirmed the plane “caught fire upon impact” and that no survivors were spotted from the air. A hotline has been activated for relatives seeking information: +7 (4162) 53-99-99.
Investigation Underway
Russian authorities have opened a criminal case under article 263, part 3 of the Russian Criminal Code, which addresses violations of air traffic safety rules leading to multiple fatalities. Officials are reportedly focusing on potential crew error during a low-visibility landing as a possible cause.
Flight safety watchdog Rostransnadzor last inspected Angara Airlines in July 2025, according to federal registry data. The results of that inspection have not been disclosed.
The Bottom Line
This tragic crash marks one of the deadliest aviation disasters in Russia’s Far East in recent years. As emergency crews continue recovery efforts, aviation authorities face renewed scrutiny over operational standards and pilot protocols in remote regions of the country.
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