Russian flight vanishes from radar moments after sending distress alert
The aircraft landed safely (Photo: Getty Images)
On Wednesday evening, June 17, a Russian passenger aircraft operated by Smartavia issued a distress signal and subsequently disappeared from radar. However, it soon reappeared and made an emergency landing, according to Russian media.
According to media reports, the Boeing 737-800 aircraft, operating the Sochi-Arkhangelsk flight, departed from Sochi and, while over the Black Sea, issued a 7700 signal. This code indicates an emergency or distress situation on board.
After the incident, the aircraft disappeared from radar and did not reappear. However, it soon reappeared for a time and, as the media reported, it was likely burning off fuel before landing at Sochi airport.
Around 23:30, it became known that the aircraft had safely made an emergency landing. Preliminary reports indicate that the distress signal was caused by an engine failure.
Later, Russian media reported that there were no casualties during the emergency landing.
Other incidents
On July 24, 2025, a passenger An-24 aircraft with 49 people on board crashed in the Amur region of Russia. During its approach for landing, the aircraft went around and then lost communication. Rescue workers arriving at the scene found the aircraft's fuselage already on fire.
A plane crash also occurred in Bangladesh in July 2025, when a military training aircraft crashed into a school in the capital.
