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Rescuers Locate Missing Helicopter in Siberia

03 July 2013 17:13 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. A Russian helicopter, believed to have been carrying 17 adults and 11 children when it crashed in eastern Siberia, has been located by rescuers, the Emergency Situations Ministry said Wednesday, APA reports quoting RIA Novosti.

The pilot of the Mi-8 chopper, which crashed on Tuesday morning, managed to contact rescuers overnight by satellite phone, allowing his position to be pinpointed.

The rescue operation has involved about 400 people and nine aircraft in the vast eastern republic of Yakutia.

A spokesman for the emergencies ministry said four people had survived the crash, adding that “rescuers evacuated three survivors by helicopter and will later return to take the fourth.” Three of the survivors are crew members, emergencies ministry spokesman Oleg Voronov said.

A law enforcement source said the remaining 24 people on board had died.