Russia's Igor Malinovsky and two wealthy tourists were involved in a helicopter crash in the region of Kamchatka. Investigators think they may have survived the crash, but the wounded group was attacked and eaten by wild bears.
Malinovsky was known for his biathlon prowess—the sport where they ski whilst shooting a rifle at targets. He won five gold medals at the World Junior Championships.
However, as he got older, he developed a passion for aviation and became a helicopter pilot. He took a charter from a wealthy Russian couple to fly over the Uzon Volcano. Authorities say that conditions in the area were poor with low hanging clouds, and the helicopter did not return from its flight. The fiery crash site was found soon after, but specific details of the crash are unknown.
After an extensive search, the remains of the occupants were found some distance away with signs that they had been mauled and eaten by wild bears.
Kamchatka, where the helicopter crashed, has one of the highest densities of brown bears on Earth. An estimated 14,000 bears live in the Peninsula, which is roughly the size of California.
Though humans are not their typical prey, they'll take on bigger animals given the chance, like this one that took down a bison.
It's a sad story. My prayers are with Malinovsky's family as well as his passengers' families.
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