Russian authorities announced today, Sunday, the death of at least 17 people in a helicopter crash in the Kamchatka Peninsula in the far east of Russia, after it had reported its loss yesterday, Saturday. The Russian Ministry of Emergencies confirmed, in a statement, that it had found 17 bodies so far out of 22 people who were on board the helicopter / Mi-8 /, while the search for the rest of the missing continues. Sergei Lebedev, Minister of Emergencies in Kamchatka, announced the discovery of the wreckage of the missing helicopter in a mountainous area at an altitude of 900 meters. The ill-fated helicopter, which was carrying 22 people, including its three crew members, was on a tourist trip for volcano and mountain enthusiasts. Kamchatka, about 7,100 kilometres east of Moscow, was hit by a cyclone over the weekend, bringing strong winds and heavy rain, but it was not clear if that caused the plane to crash. Source: National Iraqi News Agency