Meanwhile, search teams have retrieved some parts of the crashed plane. Governor of Kamchatka Vladimir Solodov said that parts of the fuselage are found along the coast and within the Okhotsk sea.
“There was a catastrophe during the go-around approach for landing”, AFP quoted Solodov as saying during a video released on the govt website. He further said that no signs of the passengers or their luggage might be found, AFP said, citing a report by Interfax press agency .
The crash site has been located about four to 5 kms from the air strip, the TASS press agency reported citing the agency for air transportation .
“The discovery location is about 4 to five kilometres faraway from the airstrip towards the coast. Rescue teams have discovered the wreckage. Considering the geographical features of the situation , the rescue operations are complicated. The search group has commenced the rescue endeavour. The mission involves 26 rescuers and an all-purpose vehicle”, TASS quoted the agency as saying.
According to the Russian ministry of emergency situations, the twin-engined turboprop Antonov An-26 lost contact with the traffic control when it had been on the way from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the regional capital, to Palana. Adventure tourists throng the vast Kamchatka Peninsula within the country’s far eastern region known for its abundant wildlife and active volcanoes. The plane had 22 tourists and 6 crew members, consistent with the ministry.
The mayor of Palana, Olga Mokhireva, was also among the passengers, consistent with a report by the TASS press agency .
