Focus may be on spies and trade but it's not the only story in town 15 March
Incredibly a plane carrying $368m in gems and precious metals has lost a lot of its cargo after a hatch opened and the plane was forced to land.
Says The Siberian Times:
The plane with ten tons of gold, platinum and diamonds lost part of its cargo after taking off from Yakutsk airport today. More rained down as the aircraft gained height.
The Nimbus Airlines AN-12 cargo plane hit problems during takeoff; the treasures fell out of the hold all over the runway.
The plane then dropped some bars of gold as far as 26 kilometres from the airport.
The crew decided to land at the nearby airport of Magan, some 26 kilometres north-west of Yakutsk.
Police sealed off the runway and a vast search is underway.
Reports of 9m tons of gold falling out of the plane and yes it begs the question of who's cargo was it, where was it being taken and why?
Over to you conspiracy theorists. Fill your boots!
Oh, and forget about rushing down to the travel agents to book a flight to Siberia and stake your claim. The secret police are already ahead of you!
