A Russian plane lost a reported 200 bars of gold and other precious metals scattered across an airport runway in Russia after a cargo plane door broke off upon takeoff. Strong winds blew off the Nimbus Airline An-12 cargo plane door upon takeoff from Yakutsk Airport, airport officials told Interfax on Thursday.
After the incident, the plane crew made an emergency landing in a village airport some 12 kilometers from Yakutsk. The local Yakutia Media news website cited witnesses as saying that they spotted gold bars, as well as diamonds and bars of platinum across the runway.
Police arrived to the scene and cordoned off the area surrounding the runway, Yakutia Media reported. At least 172 bars of gold weighing 3.4 tons have been recovered from the area, an Interior Ministry source told the state-run TASS news agency.
The Mash news Telegram channel calculated the value of the gold to be 21.6 billion roubles ($378 million).
The Siberian Times said the cargo was reported to be owned by Chukota Mining and Geological Company, and 75 percent of the company is owned by Canadian Kinross Gold.
