A Russian passenger plane has crashed in Siberia, killing at least 16 of the 43 people on board, an emergency official has said.

The ATR 72, a twin-engine, turbo-propeller airplane, crashed on Monday about 30-35km from the Western Siberian city of Tyumen, Irina Andrianova, a spokesperson of the emergency situations ministry, said.

"So far we have found 12 survivors, who have been taken to hospital in Tyumen," while 16 bodies have been recovered, the Interfax news agency quoted an official as saying.

"The plane took off from Roschino airport, near Tyumen, towards Surgut (also in Siberia). According to preliminary information, there were 39 passengers and four crew members aboard," the official said.

The aircraft burst into flames and broke into pieces upon impact, according to a Russia Today report, that also said that children were among the victims of the crash.

Survivors are said to have sustained serious injuries and burns and were transported to a nearby hospital by helicopter, and five survivors were in the hospital in critical condition, RT said.

"This particular airline does have a history of air accidents... but at this point there are no details on exactly what happened," Al Jazeera's Charles Stratford, reporting from Moscow, said.

"It seems as if a criminal investigation has opened on the case."

PHOTO CAPTION

Map of Russia locating the city of Tyumen

Al-Jazeera