Watch: No survivors as Russian passenger plane crashes with 49 onboard
Wreckage located 15km from Tynda, says Russian emergencies ministry
DUBAI: A tragic aviation disaster has claimed the lives of all 49 people on board an Antonov An-24 twin turboprop aircraft in Russia’s Far East, according to Russian state media reports.
The plane disappeared from radar while attempting to land at Tynda airport in the Amur Region and was later found crashed and burning approximately 15 kilometres from the city.
Russia’s emergencies ministry confirmed the wreckage was spotted by a Mi-8 helicopter operated by Rosaviatsiya.
First footage from the crash site of the An-24 in the Amur region, Russia. The plane crashed 15 kilometers from the city of Tynda. There were 48 people on board. All are presumed dead.
— Russian Market (@runews) July 24, 2025
Technical failure and pilot error are being considered the main causes of the tragedy.… pic.twitter.com/50ehCLAyFg
How the Russian plane crashed?
The aircraft, run by Siberian airline Angara, was flying a domestic route from Khabarovsk to Blagoveshchensk and onwards to Tynda. It failed to land on its first approach and lost communication during a second attempt, as reported by Interfax.
Preliminary information from Amur regional governor Vasily Orlov indicates that 43 passengers, including five children, and six crew members were aboard. Russian aviation agency Rosaviatsiya said search operations began shortly after contact was lost, with helicopters and a 12-person rescue team deployed.
Aging aircraft
The Soviet-designed aircraft, nearly 50 years old, held an active airworthiness certificate valid until 2036, reported TASS. However, concerns over Russia’s ageing aviation fleet have intensified since sanctions imposed after the Ukraine conflict began, cutting off access to Western parts and maintenance services.
To counter the shortage, Russian authorities extended the operational life of Soviet-era planes like the An-24 and Yak-40. A plan to produce over 1,000 new aircraft by 2030 has seen slow progress. According to Kommersant, only five aircraft have been produced since the war began. The domestic fleet has shrunk rapidly, with 58 planes retired in 2024 alone.