Three people died today, February 2, after a training plane crashed near the city of Orsk, in Russia’s Orenburg region, local authorities announced.
According to official reports, the plane crash was reported at around 12:51 local time. The plane was performing a routine training flight when it crashed. The victims are two students and a flight instructor from the St. Petersburg State University of Civil Aviation.
Rescue teams and emergency services quickly arrived at the scene. The Ministry of Emergency Situations announced that no fire was reported in the crash area, which currently excludes an explosion or combustion as the direct cause of the accident.
Local authorities and law enforcement agencies have launched a full investigation to determine the cause of the plane crash. So far, no details have been given on whether the accident was caused by a technical defect, human error or adverse weather conditions. The incident has shocked the academic aviation community in Russia and has brought renewed attention to safety during training flights. Authorities have promised transparency and full public information once the first results of the investigation are available.
This accident ended tragically for three people who were preparing or contributing to the education of the new generation of pilots, leaving behind pain and question marks over air safety.
