Sept. 22 (UPI) — A Russian military plane disappeared Wednesday over the Khabarovsk region and is believed to have crashed in the Bolshekhekhtsirsky Nature Reserve, officials said.
The An-26 aircraft with six people on board was taking part in a “technical flight” when communication was lost about 20 miles from the Khabarovsk airport.
The nature reserve is located in far southeastern Russia near its border with China.
Authorities said a rescue team and helicopter from Russia’s Air Transport Agency Rosaviatsia were dispatched to the scene.
“The search is complicated by the dark time of day and unfavorable weather conditions,” the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said, according to state-run news agency TASS.
The status of the six people aboard the flight was not immediately known.