The Federal Air Transport Agency confirmed that businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin was among the passengers on the aircraft that crashed in the Tver region, as reported by Moscow Speaks radio and its telegraph channel. Officials indicated that the incident involved a private jet that encountered a serious accident in the Bologovsky district of the Tver region. Observers and media outlets have circulated footage online showing the crash of a private plane in the same area, fueling widespread attention and questions about what happened and why.
According to reports from the Telegram channel Baza, the aircraft belonged to Yevgeny Prigozhin, a well-known businessman, and was operating a flight from the Moscow region. The initial reports stated that seven people were aboard the jet, and four bodies had been recovered from the crash site as search and rescue efforts continued. Local authorities and emergency responders worked to confirm the identities of those on board and to locate any additional victims who might be in the wreckage.
The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations stated that a special Embraer Legacy aircraft crashed near the village of Kuzhenkino, on the Moscow to St. Petersburg route. Ten people were on board, including three crew members. The ministry’s preliminary information indicated that all on board had died. Rescue teams and investigators remained at the scene, carrying out a thorough search and securing the area as part of an ongoing investigation into the cause of the crash. As the situation unfolded, officials stressed the importance of accurate information and cautioned against speculation while the search and inquiry proceeded.
Earlier reports noted an increasing frequency of birds colliding with aircraft across the region, a factor that has drawn attention from aviation safety experts and authorities alike. While there was no official attribution of the bird strikes to the particular crash in question, officials reiterated their commitment to examining all potential contributing factors, including wildlife hazards near flight paths. The incident prompted heightened scrutiny of flight operations in the area and the procedures emergency responders use when managing crashes involving private aviation in remote districts.
As investigations continue, officials emphasized that details would be released in a controlled and verified manner to prevent the spread of misinformation. Stakeholders in aviation safety, governance, and regional authorities expressed their resolve to determine the sequence of events that led to the crash and to implement measures that could reduce future risks for private and commercial flights alike. The broader public remained focused on the tragic loss of life, the fate of the passengers and crew, and the implications for regional aviation safety policy. In these early days after the crash, authorities urged patience as forensic analysis and investigative work proceeded to establish an authoritative account of the incident and its underlying causes.