overturned ATVs
On the night of Tuesday, June 7, a Telegram channel known as Baza, citing a representative of the local reindeer herders’ union, reported that Vladimir Gabrielyan, the first deputy general director of VK, disappeared in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug. He was traveling along the White Sea coast with his wife Elena and two friends, Sergei Merzlyakov and Sergei Olsevich, in two Sherp all-terrain vehicles. The group had set out with a plan to explore the coastal region.
In the morning, authorities confirmed that two people were found dead and a search was underway for others. The Arkhangelsk region news outlet noted that three men and the wife of one of them had sailed along the White Sea coast toward Cape Kanin Nos in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug using two ATVs. While crossing a river, the vehicles capsized and drifted with the current. The men and women managed to escape on foot and sought help from local reindeer herders.
Rescue teams began searching immediately, but the remoteness of the crime scene and lack of reliable communication hindered efforts. Baza reported that the second ATV with Elena and Olsevich also capsized, but they managed to stay afloat and reach a small village after walking about 25 kilometers to a hut where a local reindeer herder sheltered them.
Rescuers were able to begin locating Gabrielyan and Merzlyakov by Tuesday morning, about 12 hours after their disappearance, the nearest helicopter being 420 kilometers away in Naryan-Mar. Gabrielyan, long known in the tech industry, held senior roles at Mail.ru Group since 2005 and moved to VK in 2019 as the First Deputy General Manager. He joined VK’s board of directors on March 31 of the current year.
Bodies with symptoms of hypothermia
Shortly after, Baza reported that the missing men had died. The bodies were recovered along the banks of the Pestsovaya River. VK’s press service confirmed the deaths of Gabrielyan and Merzlyakov, expressing condolences to their families and colleagues. The statement described them as enduring parts of the company’s team, now forever remembered for their contributions. A regional official in the Nenets region also confirmed the deaths and provided details about the rescue operation and ongoing investigations.
In an interview with RTVI, the head of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug confirmed the deaths and described the rescue efforts, including the involvement of divers and a helicopter. He noted that the bodies were found and would be transported to Naryan-Mar for forensic examinations to establish identity and determine the cause of death. The investigation would determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and lay out the procedural steps required by the findings.
RIA Novosti reported that the recovered bodies showed signs of hypothermia. The case would be reviewed through the appropriate investigative channels and linked to the regulatory processes governing such incidents in the region.
“The springs are too big, fear”
Olsevich, the surviving passenger, spoke with the Baza Telegram channel about the sequence of events. He described how the lead ATV began crossing the river first and how communication broke down. Gabrielyan had warned about the river’s danger and noted that the vehicle was moving backward at one point. Elena and Olsevich were able to exit their vehicle, but the satellite phone failed, and the radio stopped working. The trio spent several hours in the vicinity as they searched for the others and waited for a signal that never came. Olsevich recalled that the senior VK official eventually had to retrace the route with his wife, but the terrain and extreme cold made a direct return impossible. The first vehicle’s fate remained unknown to them as the river’s current and the rugged landscape created a deadly obstacle. The two survivors reported losing contact after the incident, with radio and other devices failing to yield a connection.
Olsevich also described the difficulty of navigating the steep river banks and the harsh cold that gripped the area. He said the team could not determine the point at which the initial ATV disappeared, and the second one capsized with Elena and him still clinging to a remote glimmer of hope. The overall account emphasizes how quickly conditions deteriorated and how crucial timely assistance would have been if communications had held. The narrative highlights the physical and logistical challenges of conducting rescue operations in such remote northern terrain.