All the passengers of the plane that was reported missing in the Russian region of Tomsk (Siberia) were found alive next to the plane, which had to make an emergency landing.
“All crew members and passengers are alive”A representative of Siberian Light Aviation (Sila) Airlines, which owns the damaged aircraft, told Interfox.
Earlier, Russian media reported that the Antonov On-28 plane with 17 people on board had gone missing. Later, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations indicated that there were 19 people on board.
The light twin-engine turboprop left the city of Ketrovi as the administrative center of the Tomsk, Homenimus region, and the crew reported no problems.
The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations said the emergency landing site had been identified and people were still alive next to the plane.
A source told Interfax “According to preliminary data, an engine failed within half an hour of the flight. The pilots were able to put the plane on its stomach, warning passengers that it would make a forced landing.”
Emergency exits were not damaged during landing and passengers were able to leave the aircraft without any problems.
The rescue operation, which included two Mi-8 helicopters and one from the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, was led by the Governor of the Tomsk region, Sergei Schwartz.
According to the same company, the aircraft was first flown by Aeroflot in 1989 and then into the Sila Navy in 2014, before being in a hangar by Kyrgyz Airlines between 2003 and 2007. EFE
