PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, August 30. /TASS/. The Mi-8 helicopter that crashed in Kamchatka on August 12 was lifted 40 meters from the bottom of Lake Kurilskoye and secured on pontoons, deputy head of the government of the Kamchatka Region Roman Vasilevsky said at an operative meeting on Monday.
"Yesterday another attempt was made to raise the helicopter, it was successful, the helicopter was lifted 40 meters. Today it is located 570 meters from the shore. It was secured on the pontoons, today the operation will continue in order to bring it closer to the shore. Then a decision will be made to remove it from the lake either using divers or any other equipment," he said.
On August 12, a Mi-8 helicopter of the Vityaz-Aero Airline carrying three crewmembers and 13 passengers crashed into a lake in the Kronotsky Nature Reserve in Kamchatka. Eight people were rescued while eight were killed. Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency prohibited the airline’s flights. The attempts to raise the helicopter have been underway for over a week.