The wreckage of the Mi-8 military helicopter was found today in the Russian Far East, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations announced.

"17 bodies have been found," the Russian ministry said, adding that the search will continue tomorrow.

The Mi-8 with 22 people on board disappeared in Russia's remote Kamchatka region. The helicopter suddenly lost contact yesterday morning and poor visibility hampered rescue efforts. There were three crew members and 19 passengers in the helicopter. The circumstances of the accident are being investigated.

In August 2021, a Mi-8 helicopter with 16 passengers, including 13 tourists, crashed into a lake in Kamchatka due to poor visibility. Eight people died. In July of the same year, a passenger plane with 22 passengers and six crew members crashed while preparing to land in Kamchatka. No one survived.