The investigating bodies of the Northwestern Transport Investigations Directorate of the Russia’s Investigative Committee have launched a criminal investigation into a Mi-8 helicopter crash in the Murmansk Region as containing signs of a crime under part 3 of article 263 of the RF Penal Code (violation of safety rules of aircraft traffic entailing death of two or more people by negligence).
According to preliminary data, the Mi-8 helicopter of Saprk airlines took off from the town of Apatity, Murmansk Region at 07:54 PM, then made a stop in the camp of Pyatka, Murmansk Region, where took several more people aboard. According to the investigators there were 18 people aboard – 5 crew members and 13 passengers. About 08:40 PM, the crew failed to contact the air traffic control center. By now it is known that the helicopter crashed into a lake in the village of Vostoxhnoye Munozero in Terek District, Murmansk Region. Two of those aboard managed to swim out, they were rushed to hospital. The data on the killed is being checked now.
Among the main versions of the crash, the investigators are looking into technical failure and the fact that the pilot flew into bad weather, lost orientation and collided with water surface.
Investigators and criminalists of the Northwestern Transport Investigations Directorate and the Murmansk Region Investigations Directorate are working at the scene.
Experienced criminalists of the Central Office of the Russia’s Investigative Committee have taken off for the crash scene to provide practical assistance in the investigation.
Head of Media Relations V.I. Markin
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