A helicopter carrying tourists crashed in Siberia Thursday, killing six passengers onboard and injuring an additional seven, according to Russian officials.
The fatal crash occurred after the Mi-8 helicopter reportedly brushed against power lines as it attempted to make a landing near the Siberian village of Tyungur not far from the border of Kazakhstan, The Moscow Times reported. The contact with the power lines subsequently started a fire which led to the crash, ABC News reported.
Mil Mi-8 helicopter crash in Russia kills six people and injures seven. pic.twitter.com/nRODZdfmJU
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While the Altai region’s ministry initially reported six had been killed in the crash, the number of fatalities was revised to four after officials found two passengers who had been ejected from the aircraft prior to the fatal accident, per The Moscow Times. They have since been reportedly transported to a local hospital with “moderately severe” injuries. (RELATED: WBTV Pilot And Meteorologist Killed In Helicopter Crash On North Carolina Interstate: Police)
The remaining 12 onboard the helicopter also suffered injuries in the crash, the outlet stated, though their condition was not disclosed.
The helicopter, owned by a Moscow-based cargo transportation company known as Altay Avia, was carrying tourists, according to The Moscow Times.
The Mi-8 is a two-engine helicopter designed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s. Though it has been widely used in Russia and neighboring countries, the helicopter reportedly has a history of frequent crashes, ABC News reported. Russia’s Investigative Committee is investigating the cause of the crash, revealing it is looking into possible air safety violations, according to The Moscow Times.