A passenger plane carrying 49 people has disappeared from radar and lost contact with air traffic controllers over a remote region in Russia’s Far East.
The An-24 turboprop aircraft operated by Angara Airlines dropped off radar ‘several kilometres from Tynda airport’ in the Amur region, according to Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations.
Search and rescue parties have been dispatched amid fears the plane crashed after air traffic controllers lost all communication with the pilots.
Of the 49 people on board, six are crew members and five passengers are listed as children, according to Russia’s TASS news service.
The town of Tynda, located some 5,170 kilometres (3,213 miles) east of Moscow and just 273 kilometres (169 miles) from the Chinese border, is surrounded by dense forests and arduous terrain.
