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Champion of Russia in helicopter sports among women dies in air accident

The site of the helicopter’s crash was found September 16 by policemen and rescue workers

Photo ITAR-TASS Archive

Photo ITAR-TASS Archive

MOSCOW, September 17 (Itar-Tass) - Champion of Russia in helicopter sports among women, Margarita Afanaskina, has died in an air accident that took place supposedly Saturday, September 14 when an AgustaWestland AW119 Koala helicopter went mission in the Tver region.

The site of the helicopter’s crash was found September 16 by policemen and rescue workers of the Ministry for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense /EMERCOM/ in the Staritsky district of the region.

Margarita, 30, died as a result of the crash, the Sports Ministry said in a report on its official site.

“She was one of the best specialists in helicopter sports in this country,” the report said. “Navigator Yevgenia Zamula and she became absolute champions in helicopter sports in 2010 by winning in a multidiscipline competition,” the report said. “This smoothly working crew more than once took prizes in Russia’s national championships and in open championships of European countries.”

“Their highest achievement was bronze, which they got in the 14th World Championship in helicopter sports in 2012,” the ministry said. Afanaskina set out on her last flight without a navigator.

The helicopter was found Monday at 19:55 Moscow time in the Tver region. A search operation that had engaged 160 people all in all, including volunteers from Moscow and Tver, resulted in the finding of two bodies on the spot of the crash.

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