7 injured as Russian plane makes hard landing

MOSCOW, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- An aircraft made a hard landing on Thursday near Russia's Pacific port city of Magadan, leaving seven people injured.

The Antonov An-2 plane, with 12 passengers and two crew members on board, made the hard landing shortly after takeoff, Sputnik news agency reported, citing local authorities. The aircraft was not destroyed and there was no blaze, it added.

All 14 passengers and crew have been hospitalized, with the seven uninjured undergoing checks as a precaution.

The plane, carrying workers of a gold-mining company, was heading from Magadan for the settlement of Seymchan.

Investigators are considering the possibilities of the accident being caused by a technical failure or pilot error, according to the report.