Over 7,700 Square Miles Examined In Search For An-2 In Russia's Buryatia - Ministry

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Over 7,700 Square Miles Examined in Search for An-2 in Russia's Buryatia - Ministry

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th August, 2020) The air and land search mission for the missing An-2 aircraft in Russia's Republic of Buryatia region has expanded to over 20,000 square kilometers (7,700 square miles), a spokesperson from the Emergencies Ministry told Sputnik on Tuesday.

The aircraft, with six people aboard, went off radars on July 19. During the flight, the An-2 was conducting the chemical processing of fields without an approved application, and the Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case over a violation of safety rules.

Over the past day, emergency workers examined approximately 500 square kilometers of the land but failed to locate the missing aircraft, the spokesperson specified.

"During the day, the Mi-8 helicopter examined 440 square kilometers, the ground unit searched 41 square kilometers, the search did not give any results," the spokesperson said.

In total, 69 people and 11 units of special equipment, including three aircraft, are involved in the emergency response.

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