The Taliban say there are four survivors after a Russian private plane crashed. Demos against right-wing extremists: Tens of thousands protest in Germany

In Afghanistan, rescuers have found four survivors after a small plane crashed. As Taliban spokesman Sabiullah Mujahid announced on the X platform (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, three other missing persons had been found in addition to the pilot. Two of the six occupants were dead, a local official told the German news agency. On Saturday the plane crashed in northeastern Afghanistan on its way to Moscow. According to initial findings, the reason was an engine problem.

According to Indian information, the plane was a small rescue plane traveling from Thailand towards Russia. The plane had made a refueling stop in the Indian state of Bihar.

According to Moscow, all six people on board were Russians between the ages of 26 and 65. According to media reports, a woman among the passengers would be flown to Russia for treatment. The Central Investigative Committee initiated criminal proceedings for violating aviation safety rules. Two engines would fail due to technical defects. The crew is also said to have reported via radar 25 minutes before the disappearance that fuel was running low and that a landing in Tajikistan was necessary.

Local officials said the plane crashed into a mountain in Badakhshan province, which borders Pakistan, Tajikistan and, to the far east, China. A major challenge for the rescuers was not only the difficult journey, but also the persistent winter in the remote mountains.

Since the Taliban came to power in August 2021, numerous airlines have avoided the airspace over Afghanistan. A company from the United Arab Emirates now monitors air traffic and handles operations at the capital’s airport in Kabul. The airlines Flydubai and Air Arabia recently announced that they would again offer flights to Afghanistan. (sda/dpa)