One of Russia’s richest women is believed to have been among three people to die in a plane crash in Germany.

Natalia Fileva, 55, was travelling on board a single-engine, six-seat Epic LT aircraft when it crashed in a field as it approached a small airport at Egelsbach, about six miles south of Frankfurt, at 3.30pm local time on Sunday.

German police said there were three people on board the flight from Cannes, France, including the pilot and two passengers, who were believed to be Russian citizens.

Ms Fileva was the co-owner of Russian airline operator S7 Group, and her husband Vladislav Filev is listed as a chairman of the company.

She had a fortune estimated to be $600m (£460m), according to business publication Forbes.ru.

One of Russia's richest women dies in plane crash in Germany Show all 5 1 /5 One of Russia's richest women dies in plane crash in Germany One of Russia's richest women dies in plane crash in Germany Germany plane crash1 The burnt out debris of a small aircraft lies on a field near Egelsbach, Germany, 31 March 2019, which crashed on approach to the airport. AP One of Russia's richest women dies in plane crash in Germany Germany plane crash2 A damaged police car near a road in Langen near Frankfurt, Germany, 31 March 2019, after it collided head on with another car while responding to a plane crash. AP One of Russia's richest women dies in plane crash in Germany Germany plane crash3 S7 Group co-owner Natalia Fileva, one of Russia's richest women, who died in a plane crash in Germany on 31 March 2019. AP One of Russia's richest women dies in plane crash in Germany Germany plane crash4 Investigators work on the debris of a small plane which crashed at an asparagus field in the village Erzhausen near Frankfurt, Germany, Monday, 1 April 2019. AP One of Russia's richest women dies in plane crash in Germany Germany plane crash5 Emergency services among burnt out debris of a small aircraft on a field near the small airport of Egelsbach near Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, 31 March 2019, AP

Confirming her death in a statement, S7 said: “S7 Group team extends sincere and heartfelt condolences to Mrs Fileva’s family and loved ones.

“The memory of her as an inspiring and sympathetic leader and a wonderful person will forever stay in the hearts of all S7 Group employees. It is an irreparable loss.”

Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Based at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport, S7 is part of the Oneworld alliance and flies to 150 destinations in 35 countries.

German aviation authorities are investigating the cause of the crash and have begun recovering the bodies.

Two other people also died and three others were seriously hurt after a police vehicle responding to the plane crash with sirens and flashing lights was involved in a head-on collision with another car.

The three people injured in the collision, several kilometres from the plane crash site, were in the police vehicle while the two people who died were in the other car, dpa news agency reported.