Serious safety violations found at Russian airline a month before fatal crash, Izvestia says

FILE PHOTO: A view shows the debris of an Angara Airlines An-24 passenger aircraft at the crash site near Tynda in the Amur Region, Russia July 24, 2025, in this still image taken from video. Russian Investigative Committee/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

MOSCOW (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.