17 Bodies Found After Helicopter Crashes in Far East Russia’s Kamchatka

Rescuers on Sunday said they found 17 bodies after a helicopter with 22 people on board crashed in Russia’s Kamchatka peninsula in the Far East.
The helicopter went missing shortly after takeoff Saturday, carrying 19 tourists and 3 crew members, according to authorities in Kamchatka, a picturesque region popular among adventure tourists and known for its active volcanoes.
Rescuers spotted the remains of the helicopter on Sunday morning in a hilly area around 900 meters (2,953 feet) in altitude, Kamchatka region Governor Vladimir Solodov said in a video posted on Telegram.
Aerial footage released by Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry showed helicopter debris lying on a slope near the top of a large, wooded hill. The ministry said the aircraft was found close to the location where it disappeared from radar tracking.
“At this moment we have already found 17 bodies,” said Ivan Lemikhov, an Emergency Situations Ministry official. “The rescuers have set up camp and the search has been put off until daybreak.”
The helicopter that crashed was operated by the Kamchatka-based company Vityaz-Aero, which organizes flights for tourists, according to officials.
Accidents involving planes and helicopters are common in Russia’s Far East, which is sparsely populated and where some areas are accessible only by helicopter.
In August 2021, a Mi-8 helicopter with 16 people on board, including 13 tourists, crashed into a lake in Kamchatka due to poor visibility, killing eight.
Later that same year, a plane crashed as it came to land on the peninsula, with 22 passengers and six crew aboard, all of whom were killed.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has designated The Moscow Times as an “undesirable” organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a “foreign agent.”
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work “discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership.” We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It’s quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you’re defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.