Missing Mi-6 helicopter found

The search for the lost Mi-6 helicopter has been completed. Unfortunately, the results of the search are sad. According to preliminary information, all people who were onboard have died.

The Mi-6 helicopter, flying from the city of Norilsk over Dickson Island and Eklips frontier post to Cheluskin Cape, went missing on July 10. The rescuers and border guards, despite all of their efforts, could not find it for a whole week. They were hindered by the weather conditions. While carrying out the search work, it was often supposed that the helicopter could have made a forced landing, so there was a hope that the passengers might be alive. However, each additional day did not strengthen this hope.

Burnt fragments of theMi-6 were found today at 16:15 (Moscow time), at a distance of 110 km from Eklips border post, not far from the Gusinaya River. The Emergency Ministry spokesman said that, at 17:30 (Moscow time), a rescue helicopter departed for the location, with rescuers and an investigation group onboard.

Earlier, the rescuers presented a version that an explosion took place in the helicopter. However, the officials of the Dudinsk Central Arctic Geological Survey Expedition state that there were no explosives onboard. The most dangerous thing were cigarette lighters, while the load of the helicopter consisted of food and metal spare parts for equipment.

The true reason of the catastrophe should be discovered by the investigation.

Vasily Bubnov PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Vera Solovieva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/07/18/44364.html