Helicopter Carrying 22 Passengers Missing in Russia

A Russian helicopter carrying 22 people, including a crew of three and 19 passengers, has gone missing in the remote Far East region of the country.

The Mi-8 model helicopter took off near the Vachkazhets Volcano in the Kamchatka region but failed to reach its intended destination, according to a statement from Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency.

The agency confirmed that the Mi-8 helicopter, a twin-engine aircraft designed in the 1960s, was carrying 19 passengers along with three crew members.

The Mi-8 is widely used across Russia and other countries, though it has a history of accidents, particularly in Russia and neighboring regions.

The search for the missing helicopter is ongoing, and authorities are working to locate the aircraft and determine the fate of those on board.

The incident highlights the risks of air travel in Russia’s remote and often harsh environments.