Three killed in copter crash in Russia

At least three people, including two British citizens, have died after a 5-seat Eurocopter EC120 Colibri helicopter struck them in Russia.

The crash took place Sunday morning at about 11:00 local time (07:00 GMT) in a popular tourist area, the Lovozersky district, some 150 kilometers east of the northern city of Murmansk.

According to a source in Russia's aviation agency Rosaviatsia, who spoke on condition of anonymity, “After take-off, the helicopter tilted and fell onto its side. Three people who were on the ground at the time died of their injuries.”

Following the crash, Russia’s Emergencies Ministry said in a statement that a helicopter with rescuers was sent to the site of the deadly crash near the Rynda River.

The cause of the crash has not been determined yet, and an investigation into the incident is underway.

Local police officials said that the pilot of the private helicopter has survived the crash.

Earlier this month, 24 people, including children, were killed after a transport helicopter, flying from Deputatsky village in Sakha, about 8500 kilometers east of the capital Moscow, to Kazachye village, crashed into a hilltop in a polar region of Siberia.

Following the accident, a regional police officer said that “The helicopter was literally pressed into the slope of the hill by strong, descending air currents.”

In May, several people, on board a Soviet-built transport helicopter, were killed after the aircraft went down in the country’s Siberian region of Irkutsk.


Source: Iran Press TV, MAM/PR News - 21 July 2013

Photo: The Russia Emergencies Ministry Eurocopter EC120 Colibri A 5-seat helicopter (Photo by Files)


(5.01.2014)