Missing Russian helicopter in Kamchatka mobilizes rescue teams

And Mi-8T helicopter with 22 people on board disappeared on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia’s Far East.

And helicopter A Russian Mi-8T aircraft with 22 people on board has disappeared over the Kamchatka Peninsula, the Russian Federal Transport Agency Rosaviatsia said in an official statement. The aircraft, which took off from the vicinity of the Vachkazhets volcano, was bound for the town of Nikolaevka, located about 17 kilometers southwest of Elizovo International Airport. However, contact was lost shortly after taking off.

There were 19 passengers and three crew members on board the helicopter, according to preliminary data provided by the authorities. The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, cited by TASS, reported that the helicopter had picked up a group of tourists at the volcano before disappearing from radar almost immediately after takeoff.

According to the Kamchatka meteorological service, the weather conditions in the region were adverse, with low visibility, which could have complicated the operation of the aircraft. Rescue teams, supported by two helicopters and a ground team, are currently searching the area. The missing aircraft belongs to the Vitiaz-Aero airline, Rosaviatsia said.

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In parallel, the Russian prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation to determine the causes of the incident, according to the Interfax agency. This new accident adds to the list of air incidents that have shaken the region in recent years, where difficult weather conditions and rugged geography complicate air operations.

This is not the first time that an air accident has occurred in Kamchatka. In August 2021, a Mi-8 helicopter with 16 people on board crashed into a lake on the peninsula due to poor visibility, killing eight people. A month earlier, a commercial airliner with 28 people on board crashed shortly before landing in the region, with no survivors.

This new incident occurs in a context of tension in the region, as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues, with attacks that have caused numerous civilian casualties in recent hours, adding greater concern to the international situation.