Russian plane with 30 passengers lands on frozen river by mistake
The accidental landing of the plane was a result of an error made by the pilot.
In an unusual incident, a Polar Airlines flight found itself making an inadvertent touchdown on the icy expanse of the Kolyma River in Russia's Far East. This region is particularly known for its frigid climate and sub-zero temperatures. The accidental landing of the plane was a result of an error made by the pilot.
There were 30 passengers and four crew members on board. Thankfully, no causalities were reported, according to a press release shared by the Russian airline.
A video and a few pictures of this incident were shared on X by FL360aero. It shows the passengers stuck in the middle of the frozen River Kolyma in eastern Siberia. The images also showcase the trail of snow caused by the plane when it made the landing.
Flight YAP217 took off early from Yakutsk, the capital of the Sakha Republic in Russia's Far East on December 28. It was flying to Zyryanka, which is 1,100 kilometres to the northeast, and then to Srednekolymsk before returning to Yakutsk, reports BBC.
The An-24 plane landed off the runway of Zyryanka airport in the Yakutia area. As per BBC, the aircraft landed on a sandbank in the river. A snow trail demonstrated how long it took for the plane to come to a halt.
The territorial department of the Federal Air Transport Agency has ordered an investigation into this matter.
