What happened
During a mission to record temperature readings across the Baltic Sea, an aircraft departed from Rzhevka Airport. While maintaining a cruising altitude of approximately 300 meters, the crew experienced a sudden loss of power in the right engine. This mechanical failure led to a significant reduction in both airspeed and altitude.
In response to the deteriorating flight conditions, the captain executed an emergency decision to ditch the aircraft in the waters of the Irben Strait, located south of Saaremaa island, Estonia. Following the impact with the water, the vessel remained afloat for roughly 12 minutes before sinking. A patrol boat arrived at the scene and successfully rescued all 10 people on board, consisting of 6 crew members and 4 passengers.
Findings
Investigations into the incident suggest that the loss of power in the right engine may have been caused by engine icing.