The Russian Pacific fleet joined the search operation for the missing An-26 aircraft in the Kamchatka territory on Tuesday, spokesman Nikolai Voskresensky said.

The spokesman said that the plane with 28 people aboard en route from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky to Palana went missing earlier today.

Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency said that weather conditions at the time of the plane’s landing were difficult as whole mountains were covered with clouds.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin instructed that a special commission be formed under the leadership of the Transport Ministry to clarify the circumstances of the plane’s disappearance.

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Voskresensky said units of the troops and forces in the northeast of Russia have joined the search for the civilian aircraft that disappeared.

“At 9.45 a.m Moscow time and 6:45 a.m GMT an Il-38 anti-submarine aircraft of the pacific fleet’s aviation flew from the Elizovo airfield to the area of the alleged crash of the aircraft,’’ he said.