Desk News: In a tragic incident, 17 bodies have been recovered from the site of a helicopter crash in Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. The helicopter, carrying 22 people, crashed on Saturday, August 31, shortly after takeoff.

The passengers included 19 tourists and three crew members. The helicopter, an Mi-8 model from the Soviet era, went missing shortly after it took off. Rescue teams discovered the wreckage on Sunday morning in a mountainous area at an elevation of 900 meters.

Kamchatka, known for its breathtaking landscapes, including active volcanoes, is a popular destination for tourists. The helicopter was found on a slope amidst the dense forests and rugged terrain, captured in footage taken from a drone.

The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations confirmed that the wreckage was located near the area where the helicopter lost contact with radar. Ministry official Ivan Lemikov stated, “We have recovered 17 bodies so far. The rescue team has set up camp at the site, and the operation has been suspended until tomorrow morning.”

The helicopter belonged to a company specializing in tourist transportation. Air and helicopter accidents are not uncommon in Russia’s Far East, where some regions are inaccessible without helicopters. In 2021, another Mi-8 helicopter crashed into a lake in Kamchatka, resulting in the death of eight out of 16 passengers. The same year, a small aircraft with 22 passengers crashed in the region, leaving no survivors.

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