Helicopter crashes in Russia's Far East
A Robinson R-66 helicopter crashed in Russia's Amur Oblast with a pilot and three passengers on board, the Russian state-owned news agency TASS reported on June 21, citing authorities.
According to preliminary data, the incident took place on the morning of June 20. It is unclear what caused the crash.
"Information on the number of victims is being clarified," the Eastern Interregional Investigation Department of the Transport Investigative Committee said.
The helicopter took off from a timber processing plan to an area near the Dzheltula River in Amur Oblast, TASS wrote.
The aircraft did not arrive at the destination and an emergency radio alert was sent out soon after, pointing to the helicopter's crash site.
Russian authorities launched an investigation into possible air traffic violations resulting in the death of two or more people through negligence.
TASS wrote that according to media reports, the pilot and the passengers were all found dead after more than a day of search.
Amur Oblast lies in Russia's Far East on the border with China, over 5,000 kilometers (more than 3,000 miles) from the Ukrainian border.
There have been several cases of Russian helicopters and planes crashing during the full-scale war, sometimes resulting in fatalities. Russia's aviation industry took a heavy hit as a result of Western sanctions, often lacking the necessary components to maintain the aircraft.
Abbey Fenbert
