A crashed helicopter with numerous dead bodies has been found on the Russian peninsula of Kamchatka, famous for its volcanoes. So far, 17 bodies have been discovered, the Ministry of Civil Protection in Moscow announced. The search for the remaining occupants continued on the Far Eastern peninsula. 19 tourists and 3 crew members were travelling in the Mi-8 aircraft, which has been missing since Saturday.
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 scheduled time, it was reported. Due to thick fog, the search by air could not be carried out until a day later. According to reports, the wreckage of the helicopter was discovered at an altitude of around 900 meters – not far from the place from which the last radio contact had been made. The aviation authority is investigating the accident, reported the Russian news agency Tass.
Helicopters are an important means of transport on the peninsula, 6,800 kilometers east of Moscow, but crashes are a common occurrence. The weather in the region often changes abruptly. For tourists, private companies offer 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.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240901-930-219516/1
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