Russian Plane Crashes in Northeastern Afghanistan, No Report on Casualties Yet

A small aircraft carrying six people has crashed in the mountainous region of northeastern Afghanistan, according to the Russian air transport agency Rosaviatsia. The Falcon 10, which disappeared from radar and lost communication on Saturday evening, is believed to be carrying four crew members and two passengers.

The two-engine business jet, produced by France‘s Dassault in 1978 and owned by Athletic Group and a private individual, was on a hospital flight from India to Uzbekistan and Russia. The search operation to locate the aircraft is currently underway.

Ria Novosti reported that the two passengers on board were Russians. One of them was seriously ill, and the other was the husband who had financed the flight. A provincial government official in Afghanistan confirmed that the plane crashed in Badakhshan province, which shares borders with China, Tajikistan, and Pakistan.

Zabihullah Amiri, the head of the provincial information department, stated that the crash site is yet to be determined since the rescue teams have not yet reached the location. The crash occurred in a remote area of Badakhshan, approximately eight hours away from the provincial capital, Faizabad.

Russian investigators have initiated an inquiry to determine the cause of the crash. The Hindu Kush mountain range dominates the province, with Mount Noshaq, Afghanistan’s highest peak, standing at an impressive 7,492 meters (24,580 feet) tall.