A Mi-8T helicopter disappeared in Russia’s far east Kamchatka Peninsula after departing from the area of the Vachkazhets volcano, the Russian state media TASS reported on 31 August.
According to TASS, the aircraft, operated by Vityaz-Aero, was carrying 22 people: 19 passengers and three crew members.
Western sanctions significantly impacted Russia’s aviation industry, limiting access to spare parts and maintenance services for both civilian and military aircraft. However, it’s unclear whether these sanctions directly contributed to this specific incident, as the cause of the helicopter’s disappearance is still unknown.
The Mi-8T helicopter of Vityaz-Aero airline reportedly took off from a site near Vachkazhets volcano and traveled 25 km to the village of Nikolayevka. However, at around 07:15 am Moscow time, the helicopter failed to make scheduled radio contact.
Russia’s operational services informed TASS that another airline flew out to search for the helicopter. One more Mi-8 helicopter and a ground group of rescuers are ready to depart along the route.
The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry also prepared a Mi-8 helicopter with rescuers for the search operation.
The Russian Investigative Committee launched an investigation into “potential violations of air traffic safety rules and regulations.”
This incident follows a recent helicopter crash in Russia. On 25 July, a Mi-28 military helicopter crashed in the Kaluga Oblast due to a technical malfunction, resulting in the death of its crew.
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