Tragedy in Russia: Missing Passenger Plane Carrying 49 Found Crashed Near Chinese Border—No Survivors

A somber discovery has brought a devastating end to the search for a Russian passenger plane that vanished mid-flight. The aircraft, which was carrying 49 people, was found crashed in a mountainous area near the Russian-Chinese border—tragically, with no survivors.

The flight, operated by Angara Airlines and identified as an Antonov An-24, disappeared while en route to Tynda in Eastern Russia. It had taken off from Khabarovsk, making scheduled stops including Blagoveshchensk, before losing contact just minutes away from its final destination.

Emergency crews located the smoldering wreckage approximately nine miles from the Tynda airport, on a remote and rugged mountainside in the Amur region. The Ministry of Emergency Situations confirmed the crash, stating:
“During aerial reconnaissance, a Mi-8 helicopter from the Federal Air Transport Agency identified the fuselage of the aircraft. It was still ablaze when found.”

Despite challenging weather and terrain, rescue teams continued making their way to the site. Footage shared online showed search helicopters circling above thick forest, unable to land due to the remote location. Rescue workers were forced to proceed on foot.

Vasily Orlov, the regional governor of Amur, announced that the flight had 43 passengers aboard, including five children, along with six crew members. A special hotline has beenestablished for the families of those on board.

According to authorities, poor visibility and rainy conditions were present in the area at the time of the crash. The Antonov An-24, a Soviet-designed aircraft developed in the late 1950s, has long been considered outdated by many aviation experts. Despite upgrades over the years, some continue to question its reliability in harsh conditions.

“The flight disappeared from radar as it approached the airport and did not report in as scheduled,” one emergency official told Interfax. “Attempts to re-establish contact failed, and a search was launched immediately.”

Russia’s Investigative Committee for Transport has since opened a formal criminal investigation into the crash to determine whether technical failure, human error, or other factors may have played a role in the tragedy.

The crash has sent shockwaves through the region, as families anxiously await answers and aviation safety comes under renewed scrutiny.

The An-24, built by the Antonov Design Bureau in Kyiv during the Soviet era, was originally created for short to medium-range travel and was once widely used across the USSR and beyond. But incidents involving aging models like this have raised growing concerns over their continued use.

This heartbreaking event is a stark reminder of the dangers that can still accompany air travel in remote and challenging parts of the world. As investigations continue, the priority remains supporting the grieving families and uncovering the truth behind what went wrong in the final moments of the ill-fated flight.