The helicopter that went missing in Russia’s far east was found at an altitude of 900 metres (3,000 feet) near the place where it was last contacted, with the bodies of 17 people on board recovered and the search for 22 other missing members continuing, authorities said on Sunday (September 1). All those on board are presumed dead, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti said, citing the Emergencies Ministry.
The helicopter probably crashed due to poor visibility and bad weather conditions, the ministry said.
“The remains of the missing helicopter were detected from the air. It is located at an altitude of 900 meters, near the place where it was last contacted,” the Emergencies Ministry wrote on Telegram.
The Mi-8 helicopter took off near the Vachkazhets volcano in the Kamchatka region on Saturday but did not arrive at its destination as scheduled, Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency said in a statement earlier.
According to the agency, there were 19 passengers and three crew members on board the helicopter. The Mi-8 is a twin-engine helicopter designed in the 1960s. It is widely used in Russia, where accidents have been frequent, as well as in neighbouring countries and many other nations.
(With AP inputs)
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