Africa-Press – Kenya. Everyone who was on board a Russian passenger plane that disappeared from radar in the Far East Amur region has been killed, officials said Thursday.
Svetlana Petrenko, Russia’s Investigative Committee spokeswoman, said on Telegram that a criminal case was opened regarding the crash under the Criminal Code on “violation of the rules of traffic and operation of air transport.”
“All people on board the aircraft died,” said Petrenko, indicating that experts have been sent to the site to provide assistance in the investigation.
Amur Gov. Vasily Orlov initially wrote on Telegram that there were 43 passengers, including five children, and six crew members onboard the Antonov An-24 aircraft, which he said was headed from the region’s administrative center, Blagoveshchensk, to the town of Tynda before it went missing.
Orlov declared three days of mourning in the region, which borders China’s northeastern Heilongjiang province, starting Friday. “This terrible tragedy took the lives of 48 people,” he added.
The wreckage was located later in the day, according to the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry, which said the aircraft was flying on the Khabarovsk-Blagoveshchensk-Tynda route.
State news agency Tass, citing the media service of the Amur Center for Civil Defense and Fire Safety, said the wreckage was discovered on a mountainside 16 kilometers (10 miles) from Tynda.
No statement has been made on what exactly caused the crash.
Condolences from world leaders are pouring in to Russia.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said he was shocked to learn about the crash, which caused major casualties, and extended deep condolences for the loss of lives as well as sincere sympathies to the bereaved families.
Malaysian Prime Minister Ibrahim Anwar said he was saddened to learn about the crash, and his thoughts were with the families of those affected.
“In times like this, we are reminded how fragile life is, and how connected we all are, across distance and borders,” he wrote on X.
Azerbaijani media published a statement by President Ilham Aliyev, who expressed condolences on behalf of himself and the people of Azerbaijan.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko expressed deep sorrow about the news, offering condolences to the victims’ families and Russian President Vladimir Putin, reported BelTA.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev conveyed his sympathies, according to his media office.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi offered condolences to Putin and the Russian people in a message on Facebook.
“On behalf of Egypt, I mourn the tragic plane crash and offer heartfelt sympathies to the families of the victims,” he said.
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