The more serious of the two was a helicopter carrying tourists in Russia’s far east region. Eight people feared dead.
A helicopter carrying 16 tourists and crew on a sightseeing trip in Russia’s far east crashed into a lake on Thursday, leaving eight people including a child feared dead and two others in serious condition.
The other was near Chicago’s Executive Airport in Prospect Heights. Police said the pilot was the only one on board and he’s survived without major injury.
Russia
The following written content from France24
The Mi-8 helicopter crash-landed into the icy waters of Kuril Lake in the mountainous Kamchatka peninsula in poor visibility and sank, local authorities said.
Staff of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve dispatched boats to the crash site and saved eight people, two of whom are now in intensive care with various injuries. Survivors praised wildlife inspectors for coming to their rescue in a matter of minutes.
“This situation is close to a miracle,” said governor Vladimir Solodov.
The other eight — including the only child on board and the crew commander — were missing and feared dead.
“We don’t have any information about the rest,” the governor’s spokeswoman, Alla Golovan, told AFP.
The wreckage of the helicopter was now lying at a depth of more than 130 metres (420 feet) some 700 metres from the shore, the emergencies ministry said.
Rescuers and divers were dispatched to the scene but they did not have the necessary equipment to begin work at that depth.
Solodov said the authorities turned to the defence ministry, which sent the necessary underwater equipment.
“Robots will be studying the bottom of Kuril Lake at the site of the crash,” the governor said.
Rescued from icy water
Recounting the crash and subsequent rescue operation, wildlife inspectors said that the visibility at the lake was no greater than 100 metres, adding that they heard the helicopter but could not see it.
When staff of the reserve heard a loud “boom”, they said they dispatched two motorboats with four inspectors, who reached the scene in about three to four minutes.
“Eight people were on the surface, who we immediately lifted onboard,” inspector Yevgeny Denges said in a statement. The inspectors looked for other survivors but could not find anyone, Denges added.
Citing the survivors, the nature reserve said that the chopper began to sink nose first and the passengers managed to swim up to the surface from a depth of eight to nine metres.
“The water temperature in the lake is no more than 5-6 degrees (Celsius, 41-43 degrees Fahrenheit), it is impossible to remain in it for a long time,” the reserve said.
The tourists were from Russia‘s second city Saint Petersburg.
One of the survivors, Viktor Strelkin, said that at the time of the accident he was sleeping and woke up when a stream of water hit him in the face.
“My friend’s son was sitting next to me. He was fastened with a security belt and I did not have time to yank him out because I woke up too late,” Strelkin said in remarks released by authorities.
‘Horrible weather conditions‘
Strelkin, who practices free-diving, managed to unfasten himself, breathe in some air before the cabin filled with water, get out of the aircraft and swim up to the surface.
Another survivor, state TV presenter Nikolai Korzhenevsky, appeared to blame the crew for the accident.
“For some reason we flew there even though we knew about the horrible weather conditions there,” he said.
Kamchatka is a vast peninsula popular with adventure tourists for its abundant wildlife, live volcanoes and black sand beaches.
The aircraft belongs to a firm called Vityaz-Aero, co-owned by local lawmaker Igor Redkin.
Earlier this week, Redkin made headlines in Russia when he admitted to killing a man he mistook for a bear.
Officials said the helicopter had been in operation since 1984 but was in good condition. Read more from France24
Prospect Heights, Ill
A helicopter crashed in Prospect Heights near the Chicago Executive Airport Wednesday morning.
The crash occurred on Milwaukee Avenue near Apple Drive south of Palatine Road.
Prospect Heights police said they received a call about the crash at about 6:40 a.m. Police said the pilot and sole occupant remained on the scene as authorities arrived.
“It was very scary to see it over there. I think he did a great job I guess getting in the street and not hurting anyone else. I think it’s very lucky all and all,” said onlooker Carol Maloney.
The helicopter sitting on its side in the middle of Milwaukee Avenue drew a crowd of onlookers. Most were relieved to learn the pilot was the only one on board and he’s survived without major injury.
In fact, Ovideau Ostalus suffered a dislocated shoulder and cuts on his leg, but is otherwise feeling good.
“I have a God up there who was watching over me,” Ostalus said. “I’m lucky and pretty good trained as well.”
Ostalus got his pilot’s license earlier this year. And the helicopter, a Robinson R-44 Raven, is a brand new 2021 model. Due to storms in the area, he decided to land at Chicago Executive Airport Tuesday night rather than try to land at his company’s helipad in Morton Grove.
He checked it Wednesday morning before takeoff and it was fine. But once he was in the air, the engine started revving and then shut down.
“I started looking for a spot, ’cause I was only 300 feet off the ground,” Ostalus said.
He found a spot on Milwaukee Avenue, making sure he was clear of any cars on the ground.
“I was looking to make sure people are safe,” he explained.
But once on the ground, he said a rotor hit a pole and pushed the chopper onto its side. Crews used a crane to pull it onto a flatbed truck.
“It looked horrific,” onlooker James Ledlow said. “You never wanna see a helicopter on its side on the road like that.” Read more from ABC7
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