25 Passengers and 6 Crew Members... All Safe
The Aircraft Was Developed in the Soviet Union in 1970
Operated Commercially in Some Developing Countries
The rear door of a Russian aircraft carrying dozens of passengers opened while flying in the sky.
According to the New York Post and local Russian media on the 9th (local time), the rear door of an Antonov (AN)-26 aircraft, which took off from Magan in Yakutia, Siberia, and was heading to the Magadan region in the Russian Far East, opened. At the time, there were 25 passengers and 6 crew members on board.
The passenger aircraft AN-26 involved in the accident is one of the aircraft operated by the Ukrainian Air Force. [Photo by Ukrainian Air Force]
The accident occurred shortly after the aircraft took off when the rear door suddenly opened. The cabin pressure dropped, and the Siberian air at minus 41 degrees Celsius rushed in.
A video filmed by a passenger on board the flight vividly captures the harrowing situation. The released footage shows the aircraft's rear door open, with cold air and wind coming in, and passengers pulling out hats and gloves to wear while huddling tightly.
Immediately after the accident, the pilot turned the aircraft back to the departure point, Magan, and made an emergency landing. Fortunately, all onboard were reported to be safe.
One passenger who was on the aircraft told local media, "When the rear door suddenly opened, all the passengers were terrified, and some were screaming," adding, "A passenger sitting near the back of the aircraft almost flew out."
Local media speculate that the accident occurred because defective parts, rather than genuine ones, were installed on the aircraft. Some also pointed to the aging of the aircraft as a cause. Russian aviation authorities are reportedly conducting an investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident.
The AN-26 was developed and operated as a military and cargo transport aircraft in the Soviet Union in 1970. Due to its low operating costs, it was also used as a commercial passenger aircraft in the former Soviet Union and some developing countries. However, production stopped in 1986, and after the collapse of the Soviet Union, which developed the aircraft, maintenance and repairs became difficult, leading to various accidents.
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