Missing Russian helicopter hit by avalanche after landing
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A helicopter carrying 19 people that went missing earlier Saturday in the Kamchatka peninsula in Russia's far eastern region had been hit by an avalanche after it landed, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.
The Mi-8 helicopter has been found from the air on a hill slope in Kamchatka's Yelizavetinsky district, and rescuers saw live people at the site, Sergei Viktorov, spokesman of the far eastern branch of the Emergency Situations Ministry told Itar-Tass.
The 16 tourists on board have been confirmed Germans, the spokesman said.
Nine people have been removed from the helicopter, among who one German tourist and the pilot's grandson were in serious condition and had been transported to a hospital nearby, an Emergencies Ministry spokeswoman said.
"Rescuers have been able to remove nine people, seven of whom are in satisfactory condition and two of whom are seriously injured and are being taken by helicopter to a hospital in Yelizovo," the spokeswoman Natalya Lukash told the RIA Novosti news agency, adding she had no information on the remaining passengers and crew on board.
Earlier on Saturday, the helicopter with a flight crew and 16 tourists on board failed to make radio contact after 13:00 Khabarovsk time. Search operations were immediately started.
