Kazakhstan warned Chinese border services about missing MI-8

Illustration by Tengrinews.kz

Chinese border services are aware of Kazakhstan helicopter missing in the near-border Koktuma-Dostyk area, Tengrinews.kz reports citing deputy chairman of the Civil Aviation Commission of Kazakhstan Transport and Communications Ministry Alzhapar Saretbayev. “Chinese border services have been warned and asked to let us know if the chopper is found. They are aware,” he said. “MI-8 helicopter was brought back from Novosibirsk after an overhaul in September. It flew only 221 hours out of 2,000 hours of flight time, i.e. it has the resources. Today we have received some data from the Institute of Geophysical Research. They have provided us with coordinates of the a place with a small land vibration. The forth helicopter has left to check this spot. There is no information yet,” Saretbayev said. Meanwhile, strong wind makes the search more complicated, according to Almaty oblast Emergency Situations Department. The helicopter flew off November 24 at 08.30 to make a fly over of Ushara-Dostyk section of the Atasu – Alashankow oil pipeline. At 12.30 the same day the contact with the helicopter was lost. MI-8 helicopters are used for both civil and military purposes to transport cargoes of up to 3 000 kg. With fuel tanks full, the helicopter’s range can reach 800 km. The vehicle is equipped with two engines, with either engine automatically shifting to its ultimate power in case of failure of another engine. By Roza Yessenkulova

Chinese border services are aware of Kazakhstan helicopter missing in the near-border Koktuma-Dostyk area, Tengrinews.kz reports citing deputy chairman of the Civil Aviation Commission of Kazakhstan Transport and Communications Ministry Alzhapar Saretbayev. “Chinese border services have been warned and asked to let us know if the chopper is found. They are aware,” he said. “MI-8 helicopter was brought back from Novosibirsk after an overhaul in September. It flew only 221 hours out of 2,000 hours of flight time, i.e. it has the resources. Today we have received some data from the Institute of Geophysical Research. They have provided us with coordinates of the a place with a small land vibration. The forth helicopter has left to check this spot. There is no information yet,” Saretbayev said. Meanwhile, strong wind makes the search more complicated, according to Almaty oblast Emergency Situations Department. The helicopter flew off November 24 at 08.30 to make a fly over of Ushara-Dostyk section of the Atasu – Alashankow oil pipeline. At 12.30 the same day the contact with the helicopter was lost. MI-8 helicopters are used for both civil and military purposes to transport cargoes of up to 3 000 kg. With fuel tanks full, the helicopter’s range can reach 800 km. The vehicle is equipped with two engines, with either engine automatically shifting to its ultimate power in case of failure of another engine. By Roza Yessenkulova

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