“At 0:50 Moscow time (23:50 CET) on August 12, 2021, we received information about the hard landing of a Vitjaz-Aero Mi-8 helicopter in the Kuril Lake area of the Kronos Nature Reserve. According to preliminary information, there were three crew members and 13 passengers on board. The helicopter of the disaster medical center flew to the scene and the Mi-8 helicopter of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Affairs with rescuers is on standby, “said the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
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The helicopter sank into the lake after the accident and, according to agencies, is now at a depth of one hundred meters. There was reportedly one child among the passengers who had not yet been found. His father is among those rescued. Two of the eight passengers found are in very serious condition and have been taken from the scene to the hospital, TASS said. Another search is complicated by fog, and divers have also joined the search.
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“45 people and eight pieces of equipment are involved in the search and rescue operation in the Kamcastka region in order to help the injured after the hard landing of the Mi-8 helicopter, the ministry added. Both the rescue helicopter and the medical center helicopter flew to the scene.
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The crashed helicopter was inspected before departure and had no technical problems. A year ago, it underwent overhaul, Vitri-Aero’s sales director Dmitry Chernych told TASS.
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According to a TASS source, the most probable cause of the accident is an engine failure or a pilot error.
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The carrier Vitjaz-Aero Airlines has been operating since 2009 and has more than 20 Mi-8 and Mi-2 helicopters in its fleet. It provides passengers with flights to remote areas of Kamchatka, including tourist flights.
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The twin-engine helicopter of the Mi-8 / Mi-17 / Mi-171 series is one of the most widespread in the world. It has been produced in the Soviet Union since 1961 and is still produced in Russia today. It is used for military and civilian purposes in fifty countries around the world, including the Czech Republic.
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