Russian emergency services reported Monday that they had recovered all 22 dead from hospital. a helicopter that crashed with tourists on board in the Russian Far East.
The crash occurred in Kamchatka, a pristine peninsula dotted with volcanoes known for its rugged beauty and rich wildlife. An Mi-8 helicopter carrying 19 passengers and three crew members took off near the Vachkazhets volcano on Saturday, and rescuers found the wreckage the next day.
Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti, citing the Emergency Situations Ministry, said the plane likely crashed due to poor visibility in bad weather conditions. The local branch of the Investigative Committee, Russia’s top law enforcement body, said in a statement Monday that an investigation had been launched into possible pilot error or technical malfunction.
The Mi-8 is a twin-engine helicopter designed in the 1960s. It is widely used in Russia, where crashes have been frequentas well as in neighboring countries and many other countries.
Russian media described the flight operator Vityaz-Aero as one of the largest airlines in the Kamchatka region. After a helicopter crash in 2021which killed eight people, authorities had banned the company from carrying passengers pending an investigation into a possible violation of aviation safety rules.
Vityaz-Aero is the largest of the local airlines flying tourists to the Kronotsky Reserve, a top attraction that includes Russia’s only geyser basin.
