The An-26 aircraft, on board of which there were six people, disappeared from radar in the Khabarovsk Territory.

This was reported by the Russian Emergencies Ministry.

The department clarified that the plane was making a technical flight.

“At 11:45 Moscow time, the Crisis Management Center of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia for the Khabarovsk Territory received a message that an An-26 aircraft had disappeared from the radar 38 km from the airport of the city of Khabarovsk, presumably in the area of ​​the Khekhtsir nature reserve.

According to preliminary data, there was a flight crew of six people on board, ”the message says.

The department clarified that a helicopter of the Federal Air Transport Agency was involved in the search for the board, as well as specialists from the Amur Rescue Center.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations added that the search is complicated by the dark time of day and unfavorable weather conditions.

According to a TASS source, before departure, the crew did not report any malfunctions on board, the takeoff took place as usual.

Also, a source of the agency in the regional government said that the helicopter, sent in search, could not find the board due to poor visibility. 

The emergency services also reported that piloting error and difficult weather conditions are considered as possible causes of the incident with the plane.

At the same time, it was clarified there that the aircraft's emergency radio beacon signal was not recorded.

At the same time, the aviation services, commenting on the incident, noted that the An-26 could collide with the hills in the Khekhtsir reserve.

“The plane's route ran over the Khekhtsir nature reserve, where the hills are almost 1,000 meters high.

The plane could collide with one of them, "- said a TASS source.

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The Investigative Committee reported that a criminal case under Part 3 of Art.

263 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (violation of traffic safety rules and the operation of air transport, resulting in the death of two or more persons).

“On September 22, 2021, the AN-26 aircraft carried out an inspection of ground-based radio technical support for flights on the territory of the Khabarovsk Territory.

In the region of 38 km from the city of Khabarovsk, the plane disappeared from the radar, and communication with it was terminated.

There were six crew members on board ... Currently, ground search services and a helicopter from the Khabarovsk Aviation Rescue Center of the Russian Emergencies Ministry have been sent to the scene, ”the department confirmed.

At the same time, the Ministry of Emergency Situations clarified that forecasters predict rain and wind in Khabarovsk in the next day. 

“According to the Federal State Budgetary Institution“ Far Eastern UGMS ”, at night and during the day on September 23 in the southern regions of the region (named after Lazo, Bikinsky, Vyazemsky), it is predicted to rain, rain in places, and increase the wind in places up to 15-20 m / s.

Unstable weather will also remain in parts of the central regions of the region (GO Khabarovsk, Khabarovsk, Sovetsko-Gavansky, Vaninsky, Nanaysky MR), due to the increase in wind up to 15-20 m / s, "- said in the message.

Rescuers will not suspend the search for the An-26 for the night, according to the regional headquarters of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

The press service of the Far Eastern Transport Prosecutor's Office, in turn, said that the An-26 who disappeared from the radars was checking the navigation radio surveillance systems and had to return to the Khabarovsk airport at 19:10 (12:10 Moscow time). 

According to media reports, the aircraft operator is CJSC Flight Checks and Systems.

Later, the Ministry of Emergency Situations reported an increase in the group involved in the search for the aircraft.

"In total, more than 70 rescuers are involved, 20 pieces of equipment are used," the department said.

The emergency services noted that the approximate location of the aircraft and the search square had already been determined.

“There are no roads or settlements in this square.

Search teams will get there on foot, ”the services said.

Later, the Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that the search for An-26 from the air was suspended due to weather conditions.

“The ground group is working.

Meteorological conditions are unfavorable for aviation, ”the press service said. 

On September 12, four people died as a result of a hard landing of an L-410 aircraft in the Irkutsk region.

According to the UK, there were 14 passengers and two crew members on board, the pilot and three passengers were killed.

According to the investigation, the cause of the crash could have been a piloting error during landing maneuvers and equipment failure. 

Prior to that, on August 12, a Mi-8 helicopter crashed in Kamchatka, which was carrying out an excursion flight around the Kronotsky Reserve.

The helicopter fell into Lake Kuril.

There were 16 people on board.

Eight people who managed to escape were pulled out of the water by the staff of the reserve, who arrived at the scene of the accident in motor boats.