Russian Biathlete Igor Malinovsky & 2 Others Eaten By Bears After Helicopter Crash In Siberia

Three people in Russia have died after crashing their helicopter in the Russian province of Siberia, and their bodies have reportedly been dragged away and eaten by bears.

The victims were Igor Malinovsky, who was piloting the helicopter, and passengers Sergey Kolesnyak and Zoya Kaygordova. They were taking a nine-day luxury tour to see the volcanoes and glaciers of the Kamchatka peninsula and the helicopter crashed due to inclement weather.

The governor of the territory, Vladimir Solodov, said they were on “a private flight; the group was not registered as tourists.”

Bears dragged the bodies of the victims away as they weren’t found by the remains of the helicopter. Authorities said that it’s unclear whether they died on the impact or were found alive by the brown bears.

Malinovsky, 25 was an athlete in the biathlon event who was “showing great promise,” according to Yuri Kaminsky, head coach of the Russian men’s national biathlon team. The biathlon is a racing event that combines competitive shooting and cross-country skiing. Kolesnyak was a cellphone company executive while Kaygodora was a businesswoman.