Reuters: Russian plane crashes in Afghanistan
A Russian plane has likely crashed in Afghanistan with six people on board, Reuters reported on Jan. 21.
The plane took off from Thailand's Utapao Airport in Pattaya to Moscow via India and Uzbekistan but disappeared from radar screens 25 minutes after departing on Jan. 20.
The pilot warned of low fuel supply and altered plans to land in Tajikistan before both engines failed, Russian news outlet SHOT reported. Reuters could not verify this claim.
One of the passengers was a patient being transported to a hospital in Russia alongside her husband, a private entrepreneur. Both passengers are Russian, as was the four-person crew, according to SHOT.
Afghan officials say that a plane crashed in Badakhshan, northern Afghanistan. The flight was not due to pass through Afghanistan's air-space, but likely diverted from its planned route due to “technical issues,” the country’s aviation ministry wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
A search team has reportedly been sent to the crash site in the remote mountainous region, officials in Badakhshan told Reuters.
Russia’s Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case. It is not yet known if safety rules were violated.
The owner of the plane is reported to be Athletic Group LLC, a Russian company. It did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for a comment.
Dominic Culverwell
