Moscow: At least two people were killed and dozens were injured on Thursday after an An-24 passenger plane crashed while making an emergency landing at Nizhneangarsk Airport in eastern Russia, authorities said.
Two pilots died while 42 adults and one child were rescued, Press Secretary for the head of Buryatia region, Alexey Fishev, told local media.
Twenty-two people were injured, 15 received medical assistance and seven were hospitalized in the accident, state news agency TASS reported, citing medical services.
The Angara Airlines turboprop was heading to Ulan-Ude from Nizhneangarsk Airport in Buryatia, but upon detecting a fault in one of the engines, the pilots decided to return to the airport.
According to the Emergencies Ministry the plane steered from the runway when landing in Nizhneangarsk, TASS reported.
“When braking, the plane turned around and crashed into a sewage treatment plant. The plane caught fire in the crash,” the Ministry said.
According to Nizhneangarsk Airport authorities, the pilots had reported a failure of the control systems in the An-24 before landing, which had helped in sending the emergency services team promptly.
Thursday’s accident is the second of its kind that has claimed casualties while a passenger plane was making emergency landing at a Russian airport in less than two months.
On May 5, 41 people were killed after a Russian SSJ-100 caught fire while making an emergency landing at Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow.
[source_without_link]IANS[/source_without_link]