Aircraft with 10 people onboard fighting forest fires ‘missing’ in Russia
Moscow, July 1 Russia’s Ministry for Emergency Situations on Friday said an Ilyushin IL-76 plane disappeared with ten people on board while on a forest fire fighting mission in the far eastern Irkutsk region.
“The plane was putting out a fire in the Kachugski district and it is not known where it went missing,” a source from the emergency ministry said.
The aircraft last made contact at 2.45 a.m. on Friday and no malfunctions were reported during that communication.
“Contact was lost in the Kachug area of the Irkutsk Region, where smoke from forest fires was extremely thick,” RIA Novosti reports, citing a source within the emergencies ministry.
According to the local administration, the search is being conducted by planes because the territory is too large and inaccessible for a ground search and there are no roads in the area.
“The crew of the aircraft has extensive experience in firefighting, delivering humanitarian aid, and rescue operations,” a source told TASS news agency.
8 aircraft are involved in rescue op, says emergencies ministry press service.
According to the ministry, the plane has 10 people on board, including five crew members, EFE news reported.
The IL-76 is the world’s largest fire-fighter aircraft. It can disperse more than 40 tonnes of water in seven seconds.
(IANS)
