Military Helicopter Found Stranded On Europe’s Highest Mountain

This Russian Army’s Mil Mi-8 helicopter is in a surprisingly good state, considering it crashed against the east side of Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Russia and Europe. It was found by alpinist Ilya Yahsin at 15,748 feet (4800m).

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While it looks pretty broken, the $US10 million helicopter – which was produced in 2009 – is in good shape internally. Russian soldiers were ordered to disassemble it and bring down the pieces one by one. However, it’s in such a remote place that it would be very difficult. And the state of the troops doesn’t seem the best one to perform that task:

Exhausted soldiers are forced to beg on duty at the mount command MOE – some borrow jackets, some boots, some meat in tin cans to share.

The Mil Mi-8 is a twin-turbine transport gunship helicopter. According to its Wikipedia page, it’s the most-produced helicopter in the world. [Yashin via English Russia]