First Rescue Team Arrives in Area of Mi-8 Crash Landing in Siberia

A representative of the Emergencies Ministry's Ural regional center that the first search and rescue team has arrived in Russia's Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region in northwestern Siberia where a Mi-8 transport helicopter had crash landed.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The first search and rescue team has arrived in Russia's Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region in northwestern Siberia where a Mi-8 transport helicopter had crash landed, a representative of the Emergencies Ministry's Ural regional center told RIA Novosti on Friday.

"The first search and rescue group has arrived at the site of the accident," the representative said.

The pilot has confirmed earlier that there were 22 passengers and three crew members on board the helicopter when it crash landed due to poor weather conditions some 82 kilometers to the northwest from Old Urengoy in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous region.

According to Russia's Federal Agency for Air Transport (Rosaviatsia), the first pilot of the helicopter reported three injured on board after the accident.

A source in the region's emergencies services said that between three and five people could have survived in the crash landing.

"According to preliminary data, between three and five people, who were on board the helicopter, managed to survive," the source said.