ARSENYEV, Maritime Territory, December 9 (AVN) - An An-14 plane of the local Progress aircraft plant lost communication with ground services at 6.47 Moscow time (0347 GMT) on Thursday, an Emergency Ministry spokesman told the Military News Agency.
The plane, which carried three crew members and four aviation experts, disappeared near the village of Ozyorny. It was the aircraft's first flight after repairs, the spokesman said.
The Emergency Ministry has set up an operative group to supervise search and rescue works. An An-12 transport plane of the Defence Ministry, a Mi-8 helicopter of the Federal Air Transport Service and a Mi-2 helicopter owned by the plant are currently scouting the territory. They are assisted by ground forces of the Far Eastern regional emergency centre.
The search is carried out despite heavy snowfalls and very cold weather.