Sakhalin Helicopter Carrying Journalists and Election Officials Crashes into Ditch After Running Out of Fuel

A helicopter made a hard landing in the Dolinsky district in southern Sakhalin after both engines failed — according to the Telegram channel Fighterbomber, the aircraft simply ran out of fuel. The incident was reported by the press service of the regional election commission.

The helicopter was returning from Cape Terpeniya, where residents of hard-to-reach areas cast their ballots ahead of Russia's parliamentary elections on September 20. It failed to reach Sokol Airport, located just five kilometers from the crash site. "A bucket of kerosene would have made the difference," the Telegram channel quipped sarcastically.

How the emergency landing unfolded

According to the election commission's press service, the helicopter began losing altitude sharply as it approached the airport. The pilot managed to land the aircraft on a road, after which it slid into a ditch. Passengers and crew members escaped with bruises and scratches, and there were no collisions with vehicles on the road.

The helicopter belongs to the 11th Aviation Squadron based in Khabarovsk and had been provided by the Ministry of Defense specifically to organize voting in remote areas. According to available information, those on board included representatives of pro-government media covering the early voting.

Source: novinky.cz