Russian Helicopter with 22 On Board Missing

Russian Mi-8T Helicopter With 22 People Onboard Missing in Kamchatka

A Russian helicopter, carrying 3 crew members and 19 passengers, went missing on Saturday in the remote Kamchatka Peninsula. The aircraft, identified as a Mi-8T, departed from a base located near the Vachkazhets volcano, as reported in the media. The news outlet indicated that the helicopter belonged to the company "Vityaz-Aero." 

The statement from Russian emergency services noted, "We have received a report regarding the Mi-8 helicopter of the airline 'Vityaz-Aero' not arriving at its destination. Initially, it was confirmed that three crew members were on board. 

The planned route was from Vachkazhets volcano to Nikolaevka village in the Yelizovsky district, covering a distance of 25 kilometers. A search operation has been initiated by another aircraft from the same airline." In an update, rescuers arrived near the Vachkazhets volcano at 6:37 am local time. According to the media, the rescue team consists of five individuals equipped with four pieces of equipment. They are expected to conduct a search in the vicinity to determine if the helicopter has crashed in the area. The helicopter took off from a base close to the Vachkazhets volcano but failed to make contact at the scheduled time of 07:00 am Moscow time. The Mi-8, a twin-engine helicopter developed in the 1960s, is widely utilized in Russia. However, there has been a concerning rise in incidents involving fatal accidents with this model. Earlier this month, another Mi-8 helicopter, which was transporting sixteen individuals, crashed in Russia's Far East region.