Russian plane with 50 onboard vanishes off radar in far east

Air traffic controllers lost contact on Thursday with an An-24 passenger plane carrying about 50 people in Russia's far east, and a search was under way, the regional governor said.

The local emergencies ministry said the plane, operated by a Siberia-based airline called Angara, dropped off radar screens while approaching its destination of Tynda, a town in the Amur region bordering China.

Regional Gov. Vasily Orlov said that according to preliminary data, there were 43 passengers, including five children, and six crew members on board.

"All necessary forces and means have been deployed to search for the plane," he wrote on Telegram.

The emergencies ministry put the number of people on board somewhat lower, at around 40.

DailySabah