Nigeria, July 24 -- At least 49 people are feared dead after a passenger plane crashed in Russia's far east on Thursday.

The plane was flying from the city of Blagoveshchensk to Tynda, a remote town and key railway hub in the Amur region near the Chinese border, when it disappeared from radar while preparing to land.

Video footage circulating on social media showed that the Russian Antonov An-24 passenger plane had crashed in a densely forested area, with smoke rising from the site.

"During the search operation, an Mi-8 helicopter belonging to Rossaviatsiya discovered the aircraft's fuselage, which was on fire," Russia's emergency services ministry said on Telegram. "Rescuers continue to make their way to the scene of the accident."

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