Accident in Russia

Missing helicopter: bodies and wreckage found

The wreckage of the missing helicopter (pictured) was found on Sunday.

(Bild: AFP/@mchs_official/Telegram/Handout)

On Saturday, a helicopter with a total of 22 people on board disappeared over the Russian region of Kamchatka in the east of the country. On Sunday, the wreckage with numerous bodies was found on the peninsula, which is famous for its volcanoes.

According to the Ministry of Civil Defense in Moscow, 17 bodies have been discovered so far. The search for the remaining occupants continued on Sunday. The Mi-8 aircraft, which had been missing since Saturday, was carrying 19 tourists and three crew members.

Dense fog hampered the search
The helicopter had flown in the area around the Vachkashets volcano and did not arrive at the landing site in the village of Nikolayevka at the planned time, according to reports. Due to dense fog, it was not possible to search from the air until a day later.

According to reports, the wreckage of the helicopter was discovered at an altitude of around 900 meters - not far from where the last radio contact had been made. The aviation authority is investigating the accident, the Russian news agency TASS reported.

Repeated crashes on the peninsula
On the Kamchatka Peninsula, 6800 kilometers east of Moscow, helicopters are an important means of transport, but crashes occur time and again. The weather in the region often changes abruptly.

Private companies offer tourists helicopter trips to reserves where bears live or landings inside volcanoes on hot lakes. The peninsula is known for its great geological activity with frequent earthquakes and active volcanoes.