Russian plane goes missing in far east with nearly 50 aboard

The local emergencies ministry said the plane, operated by a Siberia-based airline called Angara, dropped off radar screens while approaching its destination of Tynda, a town in the Amur region bordering China.

Regional governor Vasily Orlov said that according to preliminary data, there were 43 passengers, including five children, and six crew members on board.

"All necessary forces and means have been deployed to search for the plane," he wrote on Telegram.

The emergencies ministry put the number of people on board somewhat lower, at around 40.