At least ten people were killed when an An-28 passenger plane crashed on Russia’s  far eatern Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday.

      The twin-engine Antonov An-28 plnae was carrying 12 passengers - two of them children - and two crew members. The aircraft was flying from the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to the small town of Palana.

      Traffic controllers lost contact with the plane at 12:28 local time [00:28 GMT] shortly before it was due to land at Palana's airfield. The wreckage of the aircraft was later discovered in the woods about ten kilometers from the town.

      Ten people were found dead, four survivors, including a 13-year-old boy, have been taken to hospital in serious condition, emergencies officials said.

      It still remains unclear what caused the crash. Some possible causes can be bad weather conditions, human error or a technical malfunction.

      The Antonov An-28 plane entered service in 1989 and belonged to a local state firm. Though such planes are not very safe, they are  the most necessary vehicles for the region, as there are many remote sites which are not easily accessible by road.

      An investigation is currently underway into the cause of the crash. Thursday has been declared a day of mourning in Kamchatka region.