<p>A Russian An-26 military transport aircraft with six people on board disappeared Wednesday near the Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk, the emergencies ministry said.</p>.<p>The ministry said that at 6:45 pm local time (0845 GMT) it learned that "an An-26 aircraft had disappeared from radar 38 kilometres (23 miles) from Khabarovsk airport".</p>.<p>"According to preliminary data, there are six people on board," the ministry added on its Telegram channel.</p>.<p>The ministry said that a helicopter had been dispatched to search for the aircraft.</p>.<p>The search, however, was complicated by the onset of darkness in Khabarovsk and "unfavourable weather conditions", the ministry said.</p>.<p>Once notorious for plane accidents, Russia has improved its air traffic safety record in recent years.</p>.<p>The country's major airlines have shifted from ageing Soviet aircraft to more modern planes.</p>.<p>But poor aircraft maintenance and lax safety standards still persist, and the country has seen several deadly air accidents in recent years.</p>.<p>In July, an An-26 aircraft flying over the Far Eastern Kamchatka peninsula with 28 people on board disappeared and crashed.</p>.<p>All 28 people on board -- 22 passengers, including two minors, and six crew -- died.</p>.<p>A month later, a Mi-8 helicopter carrying 16 tourists and crew on a sightseeing trip in Kamchatka crashed into a lake, killing eight people.</p>.<p>Antonov planes were manufactured during the Soviet era and are still used throughout the former USSR for civilian and military transport. They have been involved in a number of accidents in recent years.</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH's latest videos:</strong></p>
<p>A Russian An-26 military transport aircraft with six people on board disappeared Wednesday near the Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk, the emergencies ministry said.</p>.<p>The ministry said that at 6:45 pm local time (0845 GMT) it learned that "an An-26 aircraft had disappeared from radar 38 kilometres (23 miles) from Khabarovsk airport".</p>.<p>"According to preliminary data, there are six people on board," the ministry added on its Telegram channel.</p>.<p>The ministry said that a helicopter had been dispatched to search for the aircraft.</p>.<p>The search, however, was complicated by the onset of darkness in Khabarovsk and "unfavourable weather conditions", the ministry said.</p>.<p>Once notorious for plane accidents, Russia has improved its air traffic safety record in recent years.</p>.<p>The country's major airlines have shifted from ageing Soviet aircraft to more modern planes.</p>.<p>But poor aircraft maintenance and lax safety standards still persist, and the country has seen several deadly air accidents in recent years.</p>.<p>In July, an An-26 aircraft flying over the Far Eastern Kamchatka peninsula with 28 people on board disappeared and crashed.</p>.<p>All 28 people on board -- 22 passengers, including two minors, and six crew -- died.</p>.<p>A month later, a Mi-8 helicopter carrying 16 tourists and crew on a sightseeing trip in Kamchatka crashed into a lake, killing eight people.</p>.<p>Antonov planes were manufactured during the Soviet era and are still used throughout the former USSR for civilian and military transport. They have been involved in a number of accidents in recent years.</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH's latest videos:</strong></p>