4 children, 14 adults rescued from top of volcano in Kamchatka

Crew and 18 passengers were successfully rescued from Mutnovsky volcano after a sharp weather change caused strong winds and a sharp temperature drop. 

The crew called for help after several attempts to start MI-8 helicopter engine failed. 

The weather was rapidly deteriorating with the top of volcano getting blanketed by clouds, so rescuers landed further down the slope and kicked up to get the group. 

‘Children and adults were first warmed up and given hot tea after walking down to the helicopter; then the rescuers took them down to Nikolayevka village,’  Sergey Khabarov from the Kamchatka government told Kam24 news site. 

‘Were the rescue plan to fail, the night was fast approaching and next day Kamchatka is to be hit by stormy wind and a snow cyclone,’ he said. 

Children and adults were first warmed up and given hot tea after walking down to the helicopter. Pictures: Kamchatka Search and Rescue

Most of the tourists were from Moscow. 

The helicopter will be picked up as soon as the weather gets better. 

It belongs to Vityaz Aero company.

Mutnovsky is 2,300m above sea level and is one of the most active volcanoes of southern Kamchatka. Its last eruption was in 2000.