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An-2 light plane crashed in Volga area northeast off Moscow

The pilot died, his body was recovered

MOSCOW, June 07. /ITAR-TASS/. An Antonov An-2 plane fell down and crashed in Russia's Yaroslavl region, the Russian Emergencies Ministry (EMERCOM) told Itar-Tass on Saturday.

"At 14.40 Moscow time a report came about an An-2 plane that fell down in the village of Staroselye of the Yaroslavl region. A rapid response team of local firefighters and rescuers from the nearby city of Rybinsk, as well as an ambulance and a fire engine have left to the site of the crash," the ministry's said.

Later the regional law enforcement agencies told Itar-Tass that one person died in the crash.  “The pilot died and his body has been recovered,” the source said. “Another person could have been aboard and the search is underway.”

According to preliminary reports, the plane was making an unauthorised flight when it collapsed to the ground, a police source said.

“It took off from a mothballed airfield and fell down immediately after the take-off near the village of Staroselye and caught fire,” the source said. “An individual owned the An-2 and the owner was allegedly at the steering wheel.”

Earlier, the central regional centre of the Russian Emergencies Ministry (EMERCOM) said that a report came about the An-2 crash in the Rybinsk district of the Yaroslavl region at 14.40 Moscow time. The EMERCOM regional chief, Mikhail Zverev, said that only the pilot was reportedly aboard the plane

At the time of reporting, the actual number of people aboard was being clarified.

The Antonov An-2 Colt is a light multi-functional bush bi-plane. It is broadly used in parachute sports as well as in agriculture, deliveries of freight and short-haul passenger transportation.