MOSCOW – A Russian An-24 passenger aircraft carrying 50 people has gone missing in the eastern Amur region, according to air traffic control reports released Thursday.

The plane, operated by Angara Airlines, reportedly lost contact just a few kilometres from its intended destination in the town of Tynda, near the Chinese border.

The SHOT and Interfax news outlets confirmed that the aircraft vanished from radar screens while on approach to Tynda.

The incident occurred in a remote region of Russia’s Far East, raising concerns over the difficulties of a potential search and rescue operation.

Local emergency services said they lost radar contact with the aircraft as it neared its final approach. The regional governor, Vasily Orlov, confirmed that 43 passengers—including five children—and six crew members were on board the flight at the time of its disappearance.

The aircraft was en route from an undisclosed origin to Tynda, a key administrative town in the Amur Oblast. No distress signals were reported before the plane lost contact.

Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the incident. A search operation is expected to be launched, though no official statement has been made regarding recovery efforts.

The Amur region, which shares a border with China, is known for its challenging terrain and harsh weather conditions—factors that could complicate any ongoing efforts to locate the missing aircraft.