3 bodies found after helicopter crash in Russia's Kamchatka

Rescuers have recovered the bodies of three out of eight people who went missing when a helicopter carrying tourists plunged into a deep volcanic crater lake on the Kamchatka Peninsula Russia’s far east

MOSCOW -- Rescuers on Saturday recovered the bodies of three out of the eight people missing after a helicopter carrying tourists plunged into a deep volcanic crater lake in Russia's Far East. The Mi-8 helicopter with 16 people on board crashed into Kurile Lake on the Kamchatka Peninsula while trying to land on the lake bank in deep fog. Eight people managed to escape the quickly sinking aircraft, and rangers for the Kronotsky natural reserve rescued them from the frigid water after rushing to crash site in boats. The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said its workers lifted the bodies of three of the victims, including the helicopter's pilot, from the bottom of the lake, where the crashed helicopter lay at a depth of 120 meters (394 feet). Kamchatka Gov. Vladimir Solodov said high winds later Saturday forced the search team to suspend its work. The emergency workers plan to use underwater robots Sunday to recover the bodies of other victims from inside the submerged helicopter.