A tragic incident occurred today in the Kamchatka region, in the Russian Far East, where the pilot of a Robinson R-44 Raven II helicopter died shortly after landing on Mount Krasheninnikov. The aircraft was carrying tourists, but fortunately none of the passengers sustained injuries. According to initial information released by the Eastern Interregional Transport Investigative Department of the Russian Federation, the pilot's death was caused by a heart attack.

The accident took place in a high volcanic risk area, as Mount Krasheninnikov recently resumed activity after approximately 600 years of dormancy, triggering an orange aviation alert due to ash emissions. Aviation authorities and the Investigative Committee have launched an inquiry to thoroughly clarify the circumstances of the event, evaluating both the pilot’s health conditions and the advisability of conducting flights in such an unstable volcanic zone.

A second helicopter was immediately dispatched to the site to evacuate the tourists (presumably no more than three, since the R-44 carries four people including the pilot, editor’s note) and recover the body. The investigative committee, according to local sources, is now also coordinating operations for the removal of the aircraft. The incident has raised questions about the safety of aerial tours in the area, prompting a more in-depth review of the existing protocols.