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FM SOS signal picked up in area of search for missing An-2

It said “Help us, we have two wounded people, bears will gorge us. We are empty, no bullets”
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

YEKATERINBURG, September 10 (Itar-Tass) — Investigators of Russia’s Sverdlovsk region check information about an FM signal picked up from the area where an An-2 plane went missing three months ago, the press service of the regional investigations department told Tass on Monday.

Its sources said investigators have questioned a witness who presented an audio recording recorded on a mobile phone. Specialists check the recording.

According to media reports, a local medic picked up an FM signal while listening to radio on his mobile phone. It said “Help us, we have two wounded people, bears will gorge us. We are empty, no bullets”.

An An-2 plane with 13 people on board went missing on June 11. According to preliminary data, the plane’s pilot Khatib Kashapov, a native of the town of Orsk, Orenburg region, took off on crop-duster An-2 without permission.

The plane belonged to Avi Zov, a company based in Chelyabinsk. There were the pilot and twelve passengers onboard. A criminal case was opened on charges of violations of air traffic safety and aircraft operation rules that resulted in the death through negligence of one or more people.

The press service of the Sverdlovsk region emergencies ministry told Tass that at the present moment a team of 35 people continues search for the missing plane. All in all, an area of more than 2,500 square kilometers has been examined since June.