SIBERIA – A fatal accident occurred on Thursday 27 July in the Siberian region of Tyungur, involving a Mil Mi-8 helicopter belonging to regional commercial operator Altai Avia. The helicopter crashed during landing after a commercial flight carrying tourists, resulting in the loss of four lives and leaving nine others injured.
The incident, caught on camera, reveals the helicopter’s tail rotor blades apparently striking a power pole as it attempted to land.
The Helicopter’s Fatal Approach
The video footage, obtained from a local source called Mash Siberia, captures the helicopter’s descent into a field, where it enters a low hover prior to landing.
The helicopter can then be seen yawing sideways, bringing it close to a line of power poles. Tragically, the tail rotor assembly swung and contacted a nearby power pole, leading to the catastrophic crash.
The helicopter was returning with tourists onboard as part of a commercial flight in Tyungur, situated in Russia’s Altai Republic region.
Casualties and Injuries
As reported by the regional Ministry of Emergency Situations, the helicopter crash in Siberia resulted in four fatalities and left nine others wounded. Among the injured, three individuals are in critical condition, having suffered fractures and burns in the accident.
There was initial confusion in the reported death toll, as the Ministry had initially stated six fatalities. However, this number was later revised to four, after local emergency personnel realized that two persons on board had strayed away from the crash site after the accident and found their way to the local hospital.
Flight Details and Passengers
The Mil Mi-8 helicopter belonged to a local operator known as Altai Avia. At the time of the crash, it had been returning from a flight to Mount Belukha.
According to revised figures from local authorities, the Mi-8 was carrying a total of 16 people, which appears to be 13 passengers and 3 operating crew.
The passengers were primarily tourists from Russia and Belarus, making the incident all the more tragic.
Investigation and Potential Violation of Safety Rules
In the wake of the helicopter crash in Siberia, authorities will now launch and investigation. The Investigative Committee on Transport has already announced that it will initiate a criminal investigation to determine if there had been any violations of traffic safety rules or improper operation of air transport.
The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine engine helicopter, originally designed and built in the Soviet Union in the 1960s.