Lose Altitude In Less Than Five Seconds: Cargo Plane Crashes Over Russia, Kills Entire Crew

Illustration of plane wreckage. (Source: Irkutsk Region Government via TASS)

JAKARTA - A Belarusian cargo plane crashed while trying to land in eastern Russia, killing all seven people on board. Officials said the Soviet-made Antonov An-12, operated by Belarus Grodno, crashed and caught fire near Irkutsk.

The plane 'disappeared from radar' as it was about to land near the Siberian city on Wednesday, the Russian Emergencies Ministry said in a statement on Telegram, citing Euronews Nov. 4.

The plane was returning from a cargo delivery in Chukotka, according to Russia's civil aviation agency Rosaviatsia. The aircraft, which carries a load of up to 21 tons of cargo, is known to have been operating since 1968.

The Belarusian Investigative Committee said there were seven people on board and all of them died in the crash. This includes three Belarusians, two Russians and two Ukrainian citizens.

Citing TASS, the plane lost altitude of 230 meters after the crew reported their decision to go around, according to the airport's air traffic controller in footage posted on the Instagram account of the Governor of the Irkutsk Region Igor Kobzev.

"After the crew reported their intention to carry out a go-around, within 3-4 seconds the altitude dropped from 230 meters to 120 meters and then (the plane) disappeared from radar," he explained.

The Yakutsk-Irkutsk flight operated by Belarusian airline Grodno disappeared from radar at 2:45 p.m. Moscow time. An An-12 cargo plane carrying food was later found seven kilometers from the city of Irkutsk in eastern Siberia, near the village of Pivovarikha.

The plane caught fire when it crashed. The fire devoured an area of more than 300 square meters, but was successfully extinguished. Seven crew members died in the crash. Human error, weather conditions or aircraft problems are being considered as priority clues in the investigation.

Irkutsk Airport spokesman Klim Kulikov said the plane attempted to land in heavy wet snow with poor visibility.

In response to this accident, a team of 100 rescuers was working at the crash site. Four ambulances and four disaster medicine vans were dispatched there.