Helicopter monitoring flood situation in Syberia crashes

Moscow, May 7: An Mi-8

carrying nine people and over a tonne of explosives has

in Irkutsk region in Siberia, the emergencies ministry said. The fate of the passengers, however, was not clear.

The helicopter was on a mission to monitor the flood situation in the area, and was carrying 1.9 tonnes of explosives with which to blast ice dams in the river, a regional law enforcement official said.

It lost radio contact with traffic controllers earlier in the day.

Rescuers were working at the scene of the crash.

Stanislav Omelyanchik, acting head of the regional branch of the emergencies ministry, was one of the people on board the helicopter.

IANS