Russian Helicopter Carrying 22 Disappears in Kamchatka

A Russian Mi-8T helicopter carrying 22 people has gone missing in the Kamchatka peninsula, according to the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia). The helicopter, which lost communication with air traffic control, took off from a zone near the Vachkazhets volcano and was heading towards the village of Nikolaevka. Onboard were three crew members and 19 passengers, according to preliminary reports. A search and rescue operation is underway, involving helicopters and a ground team. The helicopter reportedly picked up a group of tourists at the volcano before disappearing from radar almost immediately after takeoff. Poor visibility in the area of the volcano, due to low cloud cover, has hampered the search efforts.