At least 16 people were missing after a helicopter believed to be carrying top regional officials and businessmen crashed into a lake in northwestern Russia, police and the emergencies ministry said Sunday.
According to preliminary information, the Mi-8 helicopter was carrying up to 19 people five crew and 14 passengers when it crashed in a remote area in the northwestern Murmansk region on Saturday, a regional police spokeswoman said.
"Yes, indeed the helicopter is in a lake," the spokeswoman told AFP.
Two people were injured and hospitalised and the rest are considered missing, she added, noting that emergencies officials were looking for survivors.
According to a separate statement from the emergencies ministry, the helicopter was carrying 18 people, including five crew.
The helicopter belongs to a company called Apatit (Apatite), maker of components for fertilisers, a spokeswoman for the regional emergencies ministry, Tatyana Zakharova, told AFP.
Investigators named a possible aircraft malfunction and bad weather as likely causes of the crash.
Aviation crashes are frequent in Russia and are often blamed on ageing aircraft and poor maintenance.
According to preliminary information, the Mi-8 helicopter was carrying up to 19 people five crew and 14 passengers when it crashed in a remote area in the northwestern Murmansk region on Saturday, a regional police spokeswoman said.
"Yes, indeed the helicopter is in a lake," the spokeswoman told AFP.
Two people were injured and hospitalised and the rest are considered missing, she added, noting that emergencies officials were looking for survivors.
According to a separate statement from the emergencies ministry, the helicopter was carrying 18 people, including five crew.
The helicopter belongs to a company called Apatit (Apatite), maker of components for fertilisers, a spokeswoman for the regional emergencies ministry, Tatyana Zakharova, told AFP.
Investigators named a possible aircraft malfunction and bad weather as likely causes of the crash.
Aviation crashes are frequent in Russia and are often blamed on ageing aircraft and poor maintenance.
