MOSCOW, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- The Russian air search for a passenger helicopter that disappeared on the Kamchatka Peninsula Wednesday has been suspended.
The MI-8 helicopter with representatives of the Sakhalin regional administration was heading for the Kurile Islands and failed to contact air communicators, the Novosti news agency said.
According to conflicting reports, it had 10-15 passengers and three crew members aboard. The governor of the Sakhalin region, Igor Farkhutdinov, was among them.
Officials are speculating the craft might have had problems with radio communications or had to make an emergency landing in an inaccessible area.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov ordered all forces available to find the missing helicopter. Air forces were put on alert and all nearby ships were informed about the possible whereabouts of the helicopter.
An Il-76 aircraft with a helicopter and rescuers left Moscow for Kamchatka Wednesday afternoon.
