Russian authorities say all eleven people on board a downed cargo plane are believed to be dead. The Antonov An-12 aircraft crashed Tuesday near the village of Omsukchan in the Magadan region of East Siberia. Shortly before the crash, the pilot reported an engine fire and fuel leak to air traffic controllers. Officials say the pilot attempted to return to Magadan's airport for an emergency landing, but lost contact with air traffic controllers.
The plane was being operated by Avis-Amur airways, but was owned by Komsomolsk-on-Amur aircraft building plant. Shortly after the crash, local authorities announced plans to carry out a safety check on Avis-Amur.
The Emergency Situations Ministry told Russian state TV that the crash site has been located, but rescue teams have been unable to reach the area due to its remote location, thick fog and nighttime.
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