RUSSIA – An An-24 twin turboprop plane with 49 on board crashed after previously being reported to have disappeared from radar over Russia’s Amur Region according to local reports.

Emergency services reported finding the crash site some 15km from the destination. Debris and signs of fire were spotted from a helicopter dispatched in response to the incident.

All on board are dead.

The plane was carrying 43 passengers, including 5 children and 6 crew members and flying from Blagoveshchensk to Tynda, a flight distance of around 570 km.

It went off radar several kilometers away from its destination.

Previous Report

Citing emergency services, Amur Governor Vasily Orlov wrote on Telegram that the plane was heading from the region’s administrative center, Blagoveshchensk, to the town of Tynda before it disappeared from radar.

“According to preliminary data, there were 43 passengers (including five children) and six crew members on board the plane,” Orlov said, adding that efforts were underway to search for the missing plane.

The Emergency Situations Ministry also confirmed the search, saying the plane disappeared from radar and failed to respond to calls while several kilometers from the local airport in Tynda.

“It was flying the Khabarovsk-Blagoveshchensk-Tynda route. Preliminary, there were about 40 people on board,” the statement said, adding that further information on the incident is being clarified.