A small utility plane crashed in a remote area of Siberia’s Krasnoyarsk region on Friday, killing both pilots on board, Russian authorities said.
The Antonov An-2 aircraft, operated by regional carrier Borus Airlines, went down around 5:00 p.m. local time in what officials described as a “hard landing,” according to the regional transportation prosecutor’s office.
“Two pilots on board were killed and the aircraft was destroyed,” said Russia’s Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK), the body responsible for investigating civil aviation accidents across former Soviet states.
Russia’s civil aviation regulator Rosaviatsia classified the incident as a “catastrophe” and said local officials would assist MAK in its investigation. The West Siberian Transport Prosecutor’s Office also opened an inquiry into possible violations of air safety rules.
Preliminary information suggests the aircraft had just completed aerial work before it crashed about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the village of Tanzybei.
Borus Airlines is based in Shushenskoye, around 70 kilometers (43 miles) west of Tanzybei.
The cause of the crash has not yet been determined.
The An-2, a Soviet-designed single-engine biplane, is widely used across Russia’s more far-flung regions for cargo and passenger flights.
No flight tracking data for the aircraft’s registration RA-70350 was available on publicly accessible aviation monitoring platforms, which is common for older aircraft that often lack transponders and operate outside radar coverage.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
