Moscow: A Russian Antonov An-24 passenger plane carrying 48 people crashed in the country's far east on Thursday as it was preparing to land, killing everyone on board, the regional governor and investigators said.The burning fuselage of the plane, which was made in the Soviet era and was nearly 50 years old, was spotted on the ground by a helicopter. There were 42 passengers, including five children, and six crew members on board.Investigators said they had opened a criminal case into the suspected violation of air traffic and air transport rules, resulting in the death of more than two people through negligence.Video shot from a helicopter showed the plane came down in a densely forested area and pale smoke could be seen rising from the crash site. There were no roads to the site and a rescue team numbering over 100 people had to use heavy machinery to cut a path there. Vasily Orlov, the regional governor, offered his condolences to the families of those who died and declared three days of mourning, ordering flags to be lowered to half mast.Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has extended deepest condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin and people of Russia on the tragic loss of lives in the passenger plane' crash in eastern Russia today.In a post on social media platform X, he extended condolences on the behalf of the people of Pakistan and himself. The Prime Minister said that we stand in solidarity with the bereaved families in this moment of profound sorrow.