A plane carrying 11 people disappeared from radars on Tuesday in Russia's Far East after reporting a fuel leak and fire in an engine, emergencies officials said.

The An-12 transport plane, en route from Magadan to Chukotka, disappeared from radars at 07:34 a.m. Moscow time (03:34 a.m. GMT) some 300 kilometers from its take-off point, an airport spokesperson said.

Witnesses later said they had seen the plane fall to ground. Rescue officials said the plane had most likely crashed near the village of Omsukchan in the Magadan region. A helicopter carrying rescuers is on its way to the scene.

The search operation is being hindered by thick fog, the federal aviation agency Rosaviatsia said.