On Tuesday, November 13, the search for the missing An-2 aircraft in the city of Serov, Sverdlovsk Region, was completely stopped. The decision to stop the search was made despite the fact that a few days ago, new information on the location of the aircraft appeared
The corresponding order was signed by the chairman of the regional government Denis Pasler. This decision is associated with difficult weather conditions and an increased risk for people involved in the search operation.
The incident occurred when the commander of the An-2, Khatip Kashapov, lifted into the sky a car of the Avia Call company, which could carry a pilot and 12 passengers. On this fact, a criminal case was initiated under the article "Violation of traffic safety rules and the operation of air transport, resulting in the death of two or more persons by negligence." Since the beginning of the search, an area of about three thousand square kilometers has been surveyed from the ground, and a hundred times more from the air.
The decision to stop the search was made despite the fact that a couple of days ago new information on the plane's whereabouts appeared.
According to the press service of the RF Ministry of Emergency Situations in the Sverdlovsk Region, representatives of the Mansi people moved to an impassable area to Lake Turvat to check information about the landing there in the summer of an aircraft similar to the missing An-2., which was posted on the website of the newspaper Globus, published in the city of Serov. In June, an airplane took off from the airfield of this city, which is still being searched unsuccessfully not only in the Sverdlovsk region, but also in neighboring regions.
The website of the local newspaper reports that several communities of Mansi reindeer herders live in the search area in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug. The son of one of them said that in the summer he was engaged in cattle grazing and saw a plane landing near Lake Turvat. However, the child could not name the exact date when it was. The boy does not understand aircraft models, but, judging by the description, the aircraft he saw looks like An-2. The press service of the regional department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations said that the Mansi themselves expressed their readiness to check this information. “They are moving to the Turvat region and within 10 days they will give an answer whether there is something there or not. Depending on the information received, a decision will be made on further actions, the agency's interlocutor said. According to Vadim Grebennikov, the head of the press service of the Ural Regional Center for Emergencies, in the Turvat area, the places are impassable.“The local head of the region received information that a plane may have been seen there. The local population will be interviewed with the help of the line police department,”Grebennikov said. The head of the local line police department also noted that earlier than in 10 days there would be no response from the Mansi. “The distances are long, there is no cellular connection. The reindeer breeders have a satellite phone, but they get in touch on it themselves when they need it,”he explained, noting that the information that the missing An-2 was seen in those places is not 100% reliable and requires verification.“The distances are long, there is no cellular connection. The reindeer breeders have a satellite phone, but they get in touch on it themselves when they need it,”he explained, noting that the information that the missing An-2 was seen in those places is not 100% reliable and requires verification.“The distances are long, there is no cellular connection. The reindeer breeders have a satellite phone, but they get in touch on it themselves when they need it,”he explained, noting that the information that the missing An-2 was seen in those places is not 100% reliable and requires verification.
