Russian investigators announced on July 25, 2025, that they have successfully recovered the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, commonly known as black boxes, from the wreckage of an Antonov An-26 that crashed on July 23 in Russia’s Far East, near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
The aircraft, carrying 48 passengers and crew, went down shortly after takeoff from Yelizovo Airport en route to a remote fishing community, with no survivors reported after a 12-hour search in rugged terrain. The recovery, confirmed by the Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK), marks a critical step in determining the cause of the tragedy, which claimed all 48 lives.
Preliminary reports from the Ministry of Emergency Situations indicate the plane lost contact at 3:15 AM local time, with wreckage located in a forested area 15 kilometers from the airport. Investigators suspect possible engine failure or pilot error, though weather conditions, strong crosswinds and low visibility, may have contributed.
The black boxes, now sent to Moscow for analysis, are expected to provide 30 days of flight data and audio recordings, potentially revealing mechanical issues or crew decisions. The An-26, a Soviet-era model in service since the 1960s, has a history of reliability concerns, with over 1,000 units produced, many still operational in remote regions. Families of the victims, many of whom were fishery workers, have demanded transparency, while aviation experts caution that the investigation’s outcome could influence the retirement of similar aircraft, amid growing safety debates in Russia’s aging fleet.