"A Mi-8 helicopter of the Russian Emergencies Ministry has delivered the personnel of the search and rescue squad to the Klyuchevskoy volcano at the height of 1,663 meters [1 mile]. Landing at a greater height was not possible due to strong winds and ash," the Kamchatka Territory regional emergency service said in a statement on Monday.
A group of 10 tourists with two guides (12 people in total) sent an appeal for help on Saturday while ascending the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano - the highest mountain of Siberia and the highest active volcano of Eurasia. Initial reports said that five people died after falling down a cliff, one tourist was injured and was unconscious. One of the guides broke his leg.
Deputy Chairman of the regional government Roman Vasilevsky told Sputnik late on Sunday night that a total of eight people had died.
According to the Kamchatka regional emergency authorities, a group of rescuers with climbing equipment started to ascend the Klyuchevskoy volcano on Monday morning.
"Their optimal goal is to get to the volcanologists' house by midnight, the 3,300-meter mark [2 miles], and in the morning at dawn continue their journey up to a height of 4,158 meters," the emergency authorities said.
The Kamchatka Territory regional emergency service said on Sunday that a helicopter with rescuers could not land on the Klyuchevskoy volcano because of gale force winds. Two attempts were made on Sunday, several hours apart, but they both failed.