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| Russian helicopter crashes into sea off Norway's Arctic archipelago of Svalbard with eight on board | Russian helicopter crashes into sea off Norway's Arctic archipelago of Svalbard with eight on board |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Russian helicopter with eight people on board has crashed into the sea off Norway's Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, officials have said. | A Russian helicopter with eight people on board has crashed into the sea off Norway's Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, officials have said. |
| The rescue service for northern Norway says the helicopter was en route to Barentsburg, Svalbard's second largest settlement, from an abandoned Russian settlement known as Pyramiden. | |
| Svalbard is more than 800km (500 miles) north of Norway's mainland. It's known for its stunning views of snow-covered mountains, fjords and glaciers. | Svalbard is more than 800km (500 miles) north of Norway's mainland. It's known for its stunning views of snow-covered mountains, fjords and glaciers. |
| The rescue service said the helicopter went down 2km to 3km (1.3 to 1.9 miles) from Barentsburg. | The rescue service said the helicopter went down 2km to 3km (1.3 to 1.9 miles) from Barentsburg. |
| Rescue service spokesman Tore Hongset told Norwegian news agency NTB it had not received a mayday signal from the helicopter. | |
| Pyramiden is a former coal mining settlement to which Russia acquired the rights some 80 years ago. It features the most northern statue of Vladimir Lenin. | |
| Its inhabitants left in 1998. | |
| The Svalbardposten, the main local newspaper, said the crashed helicopter was a Russian Mil Mi-8. Rescue workers said it was carrying three passengers and five crew. | |
| Several units from the local governor and the coast guard were headed to the presumed crash site and local hospitals were on high alert, news media reported. | |
| In March 2008, three people were killed after a Russian Mi-8 helicopter with nine people on board crashed about 4km (2.5 miles) from Barentsburg. |