Rescuers have discovered more than 1,500 pieces of the Antonov An-148 aircraft which crashed in the Moscow region, searches will continue on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the regional office of the Emergency Situations Ministry told Interfax.

"Firemen and rescue teams are focusing their efforts on searching the plane's debris. By now 1,580 fragments, including the jet engines, have been found," the statement said.

The emergency task force has decided to resume the search on February 14, the ministry said.

It also decided to expand the search area from 30 hectares to 40.

The numbers involved in the emergency effort have not changed: 1,000 personnel and 200 pieces of equipment, the spokesperson said.