Wreckage found after plane carrying 49 people goes down in Russian far east
Amur's civil defence centre said the plane had been found on a hillside about 16km (10 miles) from Tynda, Tass news agency reported.Emergency services said rescuers were heading for the scene.The An-24 plane had been on the final leg of a route from Khabarovsk in the far south-east of Russia.
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The Guardian
6 hours ago
- The Guardian
Too much moose meat was factor in plane crash that killed Alaska lawmaker's husband
Antlers strapped to a wing and too much moose meat on board caused a small plane crash that killed the husband of then Alaska Democratic congresswoman Mary Peltola in 2023, according to a US national transportation safety board (NTSB) report that was recently released. Though the report doesn't name him, Eugene 'Buzzy' Peltola Jr was the pilot and lone person on the Piper PA-18 plane involved in the deadly wreck, which occurred near St Mary's, Alaska, on 12 September 2023, officials had previously said. Peltola Jr, 57, had taken some hunters to a remote wilderness area where they killed a moose, said the NTSB report published Tuesday. When the crash that ended his life happened, the report said, he was flying alone while carrying enough moose meat to push the plane past 'its maximum certified gross weight' by nearly 120lbs. The doomed pilot had also installed 'an unapproved external load' – in his case, antlers tied to the right wing strut – at the time the plane went down. Peltola Jr ultimately ended 'degraded takeoff performance and flight characteristics', leading to his losing control of the plane, shortly before the fatal wreck, NTSB investigators said. As the NTSB recounted, it was his second trip flying moose meat that day. Peltola and the hunters had loaded an initial batch of meat on the plane that afternoon, and he had uneventfully ferried it to a local airport. He flew back to the hunters about four hours for what was supposed to be a second and final load of moose meat. The group strapped into the rear passenger seat as well as packed it into the airplane's belly pod, 'which did not have tie-down provision', the 16-page NTSB report noted. Peltola Jr then tied moose antlers to the right wing strut, the report said, leaving them 'cupped upward and perpendicular to the direction of flight'. The report said the pilot had weighed the cargo with scales, and it turned out the plane was 117lbs – roughly 6% – over its maximum takeoff weight. Investigators wrote that the hunters watched Peltola Jr as he evidently struggled to take off and were relieved at first to see his plane become airborne, watching it vanish from view behind a ridge. But the plane did not reappear from behind the ridge and 'had crashed just beyond their view in the opposite direction of takeoff,' the NTSB report recounted. Two hunters provided first aid to Peltola Jr, who the NTSB said initially survived the crash. However, he died from his injuries within hours, according to the agency. Peltola Jr was the former Alaska regional director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He had also spent more than three decades working for the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and he served as vice-mayor and council member for the city of Bethel, Alaska. Shortly after her husband's death, Mary Peltola's chief of staff at the time, Anton McParland, said in a media statement that Eugene was 'completely devoted' to his family. 'And he simply adored Mary,' McParland's statement said. Peltola became the first Alaska Native in Congress when she won her US House seat in a special election and then retained it in the 2022 midterm elections, twice beating the former governor and Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin. She lost her November 2024 re-election bid to Republican opponent Nick Begich III and is now the senior director of Alaska affairs at the Holland & Hart law firm.
Reuters
8 hours ago
- Reuters
Serious safety violations found at Russian airline a month before fatal crash, Izvestia says
MOSCOW, July 25 (Reuters) - A spot check on Angara Airlines, which operated the Antonov An-24 plane which crashed in Russia's far east on Thursday killing all 48 on board, had uncovered serious safety violations a month beforehand, the Izvestia news outlet reported on Friday. The plane, which was 49 years old, crashed as it prepared to land, in an incident that highlighted the use of old, Soviet-era aircraft and raised questions about their viability, with Western sanctions limiting access to investment and spare parts. Russia's transport ministry said on Friday that aviation and transport regulators would investigate the privately-owned Angara's activities to check if it is complying with federal aviation rules before taking a decision about its future. Vasily Orlov, the governor of the Amur region where the plane came down, said on Friday that investigators were working on the crash site and that there were two main theories about what had caused it: technical failure and pilot error. The plane's black boxes had been recovered and were being sent to Moscow to be studied, he said. Citing documents it had seen from Russia's airline and transport regulators, Izvestia said that transport safety inspectors had carried out a spot check on Angara in June which had uncovered concerns related to the servicing of its planes. Eight of Angara's planes had been temporarily grounded due to the inspection, it said, and four of its technical staff temporarily banned from carrying out technical inspections. Angara and Rostransnadzor, the transport regulator, did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and Reuters could not independently verify the details of the inspection. Izvestia said that inspectors had drawn attention to the fact that the company's documents had shown that planes had sometimes purportedly been serviced by staff who other documents showed were not working on the relevant days. The standard rules and methods of servicing were also not being followed by staff, some of whom did not have the necessary qualifications for such work, Izvestia said. In one instance, documents showed that a special piece of testing equipment needed to check a plane's control panel had not been physically issued even though other documents showed someone had signed off that the test had been done. "I ask you to present a plan to fix the violations identified, a report about the reasons for them, and measures being taken to ensure they do not occur," a letter from Rostransnadzor, the transport regulator, to Angara sent after the inspection said, according to Izvestia.
Western Telegraph
19 hours ago
- Western Telegraph
Rescuers take to the water to highlight Float to Live technique
More than 40 representatives from different organisations created a circle of life in the North Sea at Cullercoats Bay, North Tyneside, to demonstrate how people can avoid drowning if they get into difficulties. The Float to Live technique is championed by the RNLI and others and it advises: – Tilt your head back (submerging your ears) – Relax (and control your breathing) – Move your hands and legs (to help you afloat) – Your legs may sink – that is okay (everyone floats differently) – Practise floating (at a supervised location like a swimming pool) The Float to Live technique is championed by the RNLI (Owen Humphreys/PA) Steve Thomas, head of prevention and education at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, said: 'With the school summer holidays under way and continued warm weather, we know more people will be heading to the coast, rivers, and lakes to cool off and enjoy the water. 'Whether it's a day at the beach or a family break involving water-based activities, it's vital that everyone understands the risks. 'As a fire and rescue service, we're urging the public to be water aware. 'What starts as fun can quickly turn dangerous without the right knowledge. 'The Float to Live campaign provides simple, life-saving advice that can make all the difference in an emergency.' Nick Ayers, RNLI regional water safety lead, said: 'The Circle of Life event at Cullercoats Bay was a powerful visual reminder of the importance of water safety and partnership working. When panic sets in, floating helps you to regain control, catch your breath and stay calm until help arrives or you can self-rescue Nick Ayers, RNLI 'Seeing over 40 individuals coming together to promote floating shows just how committed we all are to reducing drowning. 'Float to Live is a simple but effective technique that gives people the best chance of surviving if they get into trouble in the water. 'When panic sets in, floating helps you to regain control, catch your breath and stay calm until help arrives or you can self-rescue.' Jo Talbot, a director at the Royal Life Saving Society UK, said: 'A disproportionate number of people drown in the UK between May and August, and we see an increased number of drownings in periods of extreme heat. 'With the warmer weather and summer school holidays beginning, it is vital that everybody is aware of how to stay water smart and safe this summer. 'World Drowning Prevention Day serves as an important reminder to everyone to equip themselves with the tools and knowledge to stay safe around water.' World Drowning Prevention Day is on Friday.
