A Russian military plane crashed early Monday in eastern Siberia, according to the official Tass news agency, which said 16 of the 39 people on board were seriously injured.

At least 23 people were taken to hospitals in nearby Tiksi, on Siberia’s northern Laptev Sea, the agency’s Sputnik news service reported.

Sputnik said the injured would be taken for treatment to Moscow — about 2,600 miles to the west — and to St. Petersburg. “Three soldiers are in grave condition,” Tass said.

Sputnik quoted local law enforcement officials as saying the impact broke the fuselage into three pieces, although no fire broke out.