▁in ▁the ▁Ir k ut sk ▁region . ▁ ▁A ircraft ▁The ▁aircraft ▁involved ▁was ▁an ▁I ly ush in ▁Il - 7 6 ▁four - engine ▁fre ighter ▁fitted ▁out ▁for ▁aer ial ▁fire f ight ing , ▁with ▁manufact urer ' s ▁serial ▁number ▁ 1 0 3 3 4 1 7 5 5 3 ▁ ▁and ▁registration ▁RA - 7 6 8 4 0 ; ▁it ▁was ▁almost ▁ 2 2 ▁years ▁old . ▁ ▁Fl ight ▁The ▁I ly ush in ▁Il - 7 6 ▁took ▁off ▁from ▁Run way ▁ 1 2 ▁at ▁Ir k ut sk ▁International ▁Airport ▁not ▁long ▁after ▁sun r ise ▁at ▁ 0 6 : 1 8 ▁local ▁time , ▁on ▁a ▁mission ▁to ▁fight ▁forest ▁fires . ▁The ▁last ▁communication ▁with ▁the ▁aircraft ▁was ▁six teen ▁minutes ▁later ▁at ▁ 0 6 : 3 4 , ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁flying ▁above ▁the ▁Bay and ay ev sky ▁District ▁in ▁a ▁north - e aster ly ▁direction ▁at ▁an ▁alt itude ▁of ▁. ▁ ▁Rec overy ▁and ▁investigation ▁ ▁After ▁contact ▁was ▁lost ▁with ▁the ▁aircraft , ▁it ▁was ▁declared ▁missing , ▁which ▁prompt ed ▁a ▁search ▁and ▁rescue ▁operation . ▁A ▁hundred ▁rescue ▁workers ▁were ▁par ach uted ▁into ▁the ▁area ▁where ▁the ▁aircraft ▁disappeared . ▁The ▁search ▁efforts ▁eventually ▁involved ▁six teen ▁aircraft ▁and ▁ 4 4 1 ▁people ▁in ▁total . ▁The ▁search ▁was ▁difficult ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁large ▁territory ▁and ▁the ▁in access ibility ▁of ▁the ▁area . ▁Gr