NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his sorrow regarding the loss of lives in a devastating plane crash in Russia’s Far East, which resulted in the death of all individuals on board.
In a statement shared on X, he remarked, “I am deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the tragic plane crash in Russia. I extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims. We stand in solidarity with Russia and its citizens.”
A Soviet-made Antonov-24 aircraft, carrying close to 50 individuals, crashed on Thursday in a wooded area of the Amur region, resulting in the fatalities of all passengers. The twin-propeller aircraft had taken off from Blagoveshchensk and was heading to Tynda when it disappeared from radar around 1:00 pm local time, according to news agency AFP.
A rescue helicopter subsequently discovered the burning fuselage approximately 15 kilometers south of Tynda’s airport, where smoke was visible rising from the densely forested crash site. Russian investigators confirmed that there were no survivors, and debris from the aircraft was scattered across the landscape. Video footage released by officials displayed significant damage.
As per the Governor of the Amur region, Vasily Orlov, there were 43 passengers and six crew members aboard the flight, including five children. However, Russia’s emergency situations ministry indicated that 48 individuals were on the flight, which was operated by Angara Airlines based in Siberia. The reason for this discrepancy was not immediately clarified.
The aircraft, which is nearly fifty years old, had its airworthiness certificate renewed until 2036, according to Russianplanes.net, although this could not be immediately verified, as reported by AFP.
According to the Associated Press, the aircraft initially took off from Khabarovsk and was engaged in a multi-leg journey, passing through Blagoveshchensk en route to Tynda. The plane is said to have lost communication with air traffic control during its second landing attempt. Russian aviation authorities have initiated an investigation, and the Amur region has announced three days of mourning.
The cause of the crash remains unverified; however, Angara Airlines CEO Sergei Salamanov informed REN TV that the weather conditions were unfavorable at the time, adding, “The commander made the decision to carry out the flight.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping also extended his condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing, “I would like to express my deep condolences to the victims and sincere sympathy to the families of the victims,” as reported by CCTV.
It has been reported that one Chinese national was among the passengers.
