The crash-landing of a Mi-26 transport helicopter has left eight people injured in Russia. The moment the aircraft plunged into the snowy ground and had both of its rotors obliterated in an instant was caught on camera.
The video shows the chopper slowly approaching the landing zone. But for some reason the pilot couldn’t quite control the rotorcraft, with its tail seemingly hitting the ground and getting broken off. With the torque of the main rotor no longer in check, the rest of the body went into a spin and tilted, destroying the rotor blades.
The incident happened on Saturday in the hydrocarbon-rich Yamal region in northwestern Siberia. According to local authorities, the Mi-26 had three crew members and five passengers on board. All of them were injured in the crash and four had to be taken to hospital – but luckily none were killed.
It was not immediately clear why the landing went so disastrously wrong. Local media said bad weather conditions may have contributed, since it was a snowy day with strong winds.
The helicopter was reportedly transporting people to one of Yamal’s oil fields.
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