Search underway for missing plane in Russia's Irkutsk Region

Search efforts are continuing for a Cessna 182 aircraft that went missing while patrolling forest fires in Russia's Irkutsk Region, with dense fog hampering rescue operations, regional Governor Igor Kobzev has said.

He noted that the search area is very large, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

"Regional Forestry Minister Pavel Kirdyapkin reported that the aircraft's location has not yet been established. The search area is very large, and there are no populated areas in the region. The search is being complicated by fog," he added.

The light aircraft disappeared on August 3 while conducting a forest fire patrol in the Bodaybinsky District.

It failed to return to base and subsequently lost communication.

Two people were on board the aircraft: the pilot-observer and the aircraft commander.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov