PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY. Nov 2 (Interfax-AVN) - A MI-8 Hip helicopter crashed at the Kamchatka Peninsula on Friday morning, a spokesman for the Kamchatka region police department told Interfax-Military News Agency.
The helicopter piloted by famous businessman Viktor Podoksyonov was flying from the Koryaki village. It felt on the ground near the Sobolevo village. Podoksyonov was not hurt, but his two passengers got serious spine injuries.
According to data from preliminary investigation, the helicopter carried a heavy load of poached spawn. Unwilling to attract attention of law-enforcement bodies and fishing inspectors, Podoksyonov decided to fly from Koryaki without notifying airdrome control and rescue services. He did not contact ground control during the flight either. As a result, the helicopter got into a snowfall, the pilot lost orientation, and the aircraft fell on the ground.
Kamchatka Region Prosecutor Alexander Voitovich said illegal transportation of poached products was common at the peninsula. The prosecutor's office seized the four MI-8 helicopters owned by Podoksyonov on Friday.
An investigation group is working at the crash site. The prosecutor's office has launched a criminal case on charges of flight safety rules violation against Podoksyonov. Sources in the office did not rule out that charges of poaching and economic crimes would be brought against him too.