The Amur tragedy: what is known about the An-24 plane crash

The AN-24 passenger plane crashed near Tynda in the Amur region. He stopped contacting after he entered the second round of landing due to cloudy weather. There were about 50 people on board, including five children. Details can be found in the Izvestia article.

Plane crash with AN-24 in Amur region: what is known

The An-24 aircraft of Angara Airlines took off from Khabarovsk at 7:26 a.m. local time, according to Izvestia airport. The plane was supposed to overcome a checkpoint 15 km from Tynda near the final stop, but it did not pass control. The crash occurred in a remote area of a wooded area with many hills, which further complicated the landing. The aviation services added that the weather conditions in the Amur region were suitable for landing the aircraft, although they were changeable.

The plane did not get in touch when it went on a second lap during landing due to bad weather. After that, an Mi-8 helicopter and a 12-man ground team were sent to search for the aircraft. Eyewitnesses who filmed the Angara flight before the crash told Izvestia that the plane was flying low and "buzzing strangely," as can be seen in the footage available to the editorial staff.

According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Amur Region, the plane was en route Khabarovsk — Blagoveshchensk — Tynda. The governor of the Amur Region, Vasily Orlov, said that according to preliminary data, 43 passengers, including five children, and six crew members were on board the An-24 aircraft.

The head of the region added that the development of the situation would be reported on the official sites of the regional government and urged not to trust unverified information.

According to Igor Smirnov, head of the main Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations in the Amur Region, search and rescue units and an airmobile group of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations are already on their way to the crash site. The main department has a hotline number: 8 (4162) 53-99-99 and 8 (800) 775-17-17 (based on the Center for Emergency Psychological Assistance).

The government of the Amur region said that the teams of psychologists of the Ministry of Emergency Situations are ready to work out the situation with the relatives of the victims.

At the moment, emergency services have moved to the scene of the tragedy — a mobile search group and two helicopters with medical teams, according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Amur region. A total of 25 people, five pieces of equipment have been sent, and four aircraft with crews are ready.

The Tynda Municipal District informed the fire service of the region and the regional search and rescue team that the missing An-24 was found 16 km from Tynda towards Kuvykta on the mountainside at 15:26 local time. The source of Izvestia clarified that the Mi-8 helicopter of the Federal Air Transport Agency found the aircraft's fuselage on fire.

According to the director of Tynda airport, the plane caught fire during the crash. The fate of the passengers and crew is unknown, since no survivors were found during the aerial flight, but survivors can still be found during a ground search, the Center for Civil Protection and Fire Safety of the Amur Region added.

Is it safe to fly on the AN-24

Angara Airlines has been operating for 25 years in the field of transportation in the Irkutsk and Amur regions, Buryatia, Yakutia and Transbaikalia. The airline's fleet consists of AN-24 aircraft, An-26 aircraft and Mi-8 helicopters.

Honored Pilot of Russia, test pilot Vadim Bazykin told Izvestia that the An-24 series aircraft should not be operated, since they are old and have not been updated for a long time. So, the missing An-24 of the airline was produced almost 50 years ago, it follows from the published data, and the certificate of airworthiness was extended until 2036. According to him, the AN-24 series is almost an ideal model, but it has not been upgraded for many years, so ships cannot be used.

"It seems to me that it is better to ban flights on such old technology if we are not able to bring it to mind. We're just constantly risking passengers," Bazykin said.

The pilot added that the flight of the crashed An-24 took place in difficult terrain, and the airfield in Tynda is considered mountainous. Besides, the situation is complicated by the taiga.

"There are small cuttings where only a helicopter and a maximum of An An-2 aircraft can land, but not an AN-24. That is, we must understand that landing outside the airfield is always a disaster," he explained.

Investigation of the An-24 plane crash in Tynda

The Far Eastern Transport Prosecutor's Office organized an inspection after the loss of communication with the aircraft, and the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case on the violation of safety rules for the operation of the aircraft, resulting in the death of three or more people. The Interstate Aviation Committee has formed a commission to investigate the An-24 disaster in the Amur Region and has launched an investigation into the crash, the press service said.

Investigative actions are currently being carried out at Tynda airport, including the seizure of documents and samples of fuel used to refuel the passenger plane. They are also carried out by the Angara Airline itself. Among the possible versions of the plane crash, two causes are considered: a technical malfunction and a human factor.

The media reports that departmental inspections were carried out at Angara two weeks ago. No violations were found at that time.

Regions — with Cupid

According to Igor Kobzev, Governor of the Irkutsk Region, an operational headquarters has been set up to monitor the situation.

"I just had an operational meeting with my colleagues. A headquarters has been established, and Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Gennadievich Sukhanov has been appointed as its head. Through the Ministry of Social Services, he instructed to contact the families of the crew members. The head of the Ministry of Transport, Maxim Alexandrovich Lobanov, must provide a passenger list. We are in contact with the Federal Air Transport Agency. We will gather again in the evening," Kobzev said.

According to him, the crew of the missing plane are residents of the Irkutsk region. Oleg Kozhemyako, Governor of Primorsky Krai, also expressed his condolences to the families and friends of the deceased Amur residents.

"Primorye is grieving along with the Amur region, where the AN-24 plane crashed. It was very painful to learn about the deaths of passengers and crew members. I express my deepest condolences to the families and friends of the deceased Amur residents," Kozhemyako said in his official Telegram channel.