THE captain and an aircraft technician were killed but 43 passengers and crew miraculously survived when a plane crashed and burst into flames today in Russia.

Survivors said they were given no warning of an emergency landing and panicking passengers "jostled" to escape as the plane was engulfed in smoke and flames.

11 Emergency services rushed towards the smoking wreckage Credit: Siberian Times

The twin turboprop Antonov-24 suffered an engine failure soon after takeoff from Nizhneangarsk in Siberia.

The pilots radioed asking for an emergency landing before the aircraft skidded off the runway, crashed through a fence and ploughed into a sewage treatment plant building.

A total of 43 people including two children escaped or were pulled to safety seconds before fire exploded through the 44-seat cabin.

But captain Vladimir Kolomin and Angara Airlines technician Oleg Bardanov, who was in the cockpit, were killed.

Co-pilot Sergey Sazonov and flight attendant Elena Laputskaya were named among the survivors.

Some 31 people were injured and 19 were taken to hospital.

Videos showed firefighters spraying water on the wreckage as toxic black smoke poured from the aircraft.

Minutes after the crash, the passenger cabin was entirely gutted.

SCRAMBLED TO SAFETY

One passenger said there was no warning of an emergency before the plane "slipped" off the runway, crashed and caught fire.

He said: “And then we started pulling people out. First we jostled.

“It was was already hot…smoke and flames.

“Those who first got out, they began to help the others.

“We began to climb out one by one. I got scratched and bruised my pelvis.

“There was no crew around. We ourselves pulled out the emergency exit from the left side, almost by the nose, and began to climb out.”

Emergency services spokesman Alexey Fishev said: "According to preliminary information, during the landing, the plane went 100 metres (328ft) beyond the runway and collided with a purification facility.

“The plane took fire.”

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Other reports say the plane spun off the runway as it landed as the captain failed to control it landing on a single engine.

Reports said the left-side engine had failed soon after takeoff.

The plane was flying from regional capital Ulan-Ude to the city of Irkutsk via Nizhneangarsk.

11 The black smoke can be seen pouring from the plane Credit: Siberian Times

11 The plane landed into a sewage treatment plant Credit: EPA

11 It is believed crew had requested an emergency landing due to engine failure Credit: EPA

11 The plane had been conducting an emergency landing Credit: Siberian Times

11 Two pilots were killed but dozens of passengers survived the crash Credit: Siberian Times

11 Two cabin crew were among the survivors of the crash Credit: Siberian Times

11 Just minutes later, the cabin was entirely gutted Credit: Siberian Times

11 A horrified witness can be seen running from the scene Credit: Siberian Times

11 Firefighters were seen trying to extinguish the flames Credit: Siberian Times

11 Flames can be seen engulfing the plane after the terrifying crash Credit: Siberian Times