Moscow, Sept. 23, (dpa/GNA) – A plane missing in eastern Russia with six people on board has crashed. None of the passengers survived, the Russian civil defence said on Thursday.
The accident happened near the city of Khabarovsk. Members of a search team had to walk through the taiga for more than five hours until they reached the location.
Previously, the crew of a helicopter had discovered debris on the ground, but due to strong winds and tall trees, they were unable to land in the mountainous landscape.
The cause of the accident was initially unclear.
The Antonov An-26 aircraft disappeared from radar on Wednesday evening about 40 kilometres from Khabarovsk airport.
According to the authorities, the aircraft, which is often used for military purposes, was supposed to check navigation and radio surveillance systems in the region. Bad weather and darkness had made the search difficult in the meantime.
In July, a passenger plane of the same type crashed on the Kamchatka peninsula in the Far East. None of the 28 passengers survived the accident.
GNA