Tragedy struck in Russia’s Far East on Saturday when a helicopter carrying tourists crashed near a volcano, resulting in the death of at least 17 people. The incident took place in the Kamchatka region, as confirmed by emergency officials who discovered the wreckage on Sunday. The helicopter, an Mi-8, was transporting 19 passengers and three crew members, according to the governor of the Kamchatka region, Vladimir Solodov.
The helicopter had taken off from a location near the popular Vachkazhets volcano and was en route to the village of Nikolaevka when it lost contact. Rescue teams located the wreckage at an altitude of approximately 3,000 feet, not far from the last known location of the chopper, as reported by Russia’s ministry of emergencies. Unfortunately, 17 bodies were found at the crash site, and based on the condition of the wreckage, no survivors are expected, according to state news agency Tass.
Images and video footage shared by the agency on Telegram showcased the grim aftermath of the crash, with fragments of the helicopter scattered on the side of a steep hill in a mountainous area.
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