Following the crash of a helicopter from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, authorities opened a criminal case, as reported by RIA News. The ministry later confirmed that inspectors filed charges related to violation of traffic safety rules and the operation of air transport.
The Mi-8 helicopter, assigned to the rescue center of the ministry, lost contact on February 3 during a training flight over Lake Onega near Karelia. The aircraft disappeared from radar while the crew was conducting maneuvers above the water. On board were three qualified crew members with substantial flight experience.
The ministry highlighted that the pilots had thousands of hours in the air and had previously taken part in numerous search and rescue missions, including operations in forests and over water, as well as in firefighting efforts caused by both natural and human-made incidents. Their track record reflected a long history of service to the public and swift response in emergencies.
In Karelia, rescuers moved to establish the crash site on Lake Onega. Teams traveled by snowmobile and airborne assets to survey the lake around the village of Derevyannoye in Prionezhsky District. Ministry officials indicated that the wreckage of the Mi-8 was located about 11 kilometers from the shore. The water depth in the search area ranges from roughly 40 to 50 meters. More than 140 responders and 33 pieces of equipment participated, including divers from the Leading Special Risk Rescue Operations Center of the Russian Ministry of Emergencies. The operation showcased the coordinated effort of multiple agencies to locate and assess the wreckage under challenging conditions.
Earlier reports noted that a separate Mi-8 helicopter had collapsed and caught fire during a hard landing in the Altai region, underscoring the ongoing risks associated with high-intensity rescue missions and heavy transport aviation used in emergencies. [RIA News attribution]