Funeral Services Held for Dead Journalists in Murmansk

Funeral services were held for journalists from the Rossia television channel in Murmansk, a major port on the Barents Sea, May 5. The journalists were killed in a helicopter crash in the Chita region, Russia's Far East, May 3. This was disclosed to RIA-NOVOSTI at the press service of the national Emergency Situations Ministry.

It was decided to hold funeral services in Murmansk at the request of relatives of deceased journalists.

A Mi-26 helicopter serving with the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry crashed May 3, while extinguishing a forest fire. According to preliminary reports, a steel cable, which was holding a water tank, became entangled in the chopper's tail rotor. All 12 people aboard, including Rossia TV channel correspondent Juliana Nakhodkina and cameraman Konstantin Kozar, died in the crash.

On May 4 Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu grounded all planes and helicopters, which are equipped with water tanks, pending a complete investigation of the disaster's causes.