Fifteen people were killed in the crash of a plane carrying civilian paratroopers in central Russia, the Emergency Situations Ministry said.
"Seven people were rescued, 15 were found without any sign of life,
" the ministry said on Telegram.
The plane, made in the Czech Republic and type L-410, crashed at 09:23 (06:23 GMT) in the Republic of Tatarstan, with 22 people on board.
It broke in two under the impact, according to images transmitted by the ministry.
The seven survivors were hospitalized and one of them is
"in serious condition"
, according to the RIA Novosti agency, which quotes a source at the local health ministry.
According to the Interfax news agency, the plane belonged to a local club of the paramilitary organization DOSAAF, the Voluntary Society for Assistance to the Army, Aviation and Navy.
Russia, long known for its numerous accidents, has significantly improved its aviation safety since the 2000s, but crashes still occur quite frequently, especially in sparsely populated areas such as the Far East.
