AN-2 missing since June possibly found

Some of you may remember the exploits of the stolen AN-2 Cub in Russia last summer. The one where the local police chief and a group of hunters may have taken an unauthorized flight.

For those of you that don't, here's a recap.

Missi ng AN-2

Hunters have recently found what appears to be the wreckage of the aircraft near the airport it took off from in some marshland. The mystery deepens slightly though, as the remains of 11 people were found in the wreckage. The wreckage found was from an AN-2 similar to the one that went missing, but it hasn't yet been officially identified as the aircraft in question.

May 5 (Reuters) - The wreckage of a Russian light aircraft that disappeared last June with 13 people on board has been discovered by hunters just a few kilometres from the plane's takeoff strip near the Urals city of Yekaterinburg.

Rescue teams were unable to find the An-2 light biplane, which took off without permission on June 11 from a regional airport in Serov with a pilot and 12 passengers on board. Official search efforts were halted four months later.

Investigators had suspected that the group on board, which included Serov's traffic police chief, could have taken an unscheduled flight after a drinking session to go on a fishing trip or to visit a Russian-style sauna.

www.reuters.com...

I was going to joke that this aircraft could have been added to the "Ancient Machines In Russia" thread, but now I see that it was produced through 2002!

18,000 plus airframes!

Поздравляю!

Well if it is those people that were in the AN-2 flight, then this is a tragedy :-(

I wonder what has happened to the other two missing persons though and indeed who those guys are?

It sounds like a bunch of drunk people stole an airplane and crashed.

Being stupid should hurt.
At least they didn't crash in a populated area.

Originally posted by watchitburn
It sounds like a bunch of drunk people stole an airplane and crashed.
Being stupid should hurt.
At least they didn't crash in a populated area.

WHAT?!

You're saying that a bunch of drunk Russians could have stolen an airplane and tried to take it for a joy ride, crashing and scoring a major multiple Darwin Award in the process?

Never. Not in Russia. Tell me it ain't so.

In Russia, blood will not flow through your veins without vodka!!! (end cheesy Russian accent)

I have read this a while ago somewhere on the German news... and seriously I was like "wtf???"
what where this guys thinking??

"sure let's make a fishing trip, a plane would come in handy of course... ah look there, lets take this one"

I have been really really drunk sometimes (hey don't blame me I am a beer loving German), but I would never ever ever ever have such an idea. I wonder how they could take off, since they must have been soooo messed up

I can't figure out how people sufficiently drunk could have enough organization to successfully steal and depart with an aircraft.