(MENAFN) A private helicopter plummeted into Russia's southern Dagestan region Friday, claiming five lives and leaving two survivors battling injuries.

Four passengers perished instantly at the crash site, while a fifth victim died after being rushed to hospital, the regional health ministry confirmed. Three individuals were initially transported for emergency treatment.

Nabi Kurayev, first deputy minister of health of the Republic of Dagestan, assessed the survivors' conditions at the Republican Clinical Hospital, where one patient remains in critical condition while another's status is moderate, local authorities reported.

Sergei Melikov, head of the Republic of Dagestan, verified that seven people occupied the aircraft when it went down and stated that relevant authorities were investigating the cause of the crash.

The Ka-226 helicopter exploded into flames upon impact and was obliterated beyond recognition, authorities stated. Regional emergency services identified an in-flight engine fire as the leading suspected cause behind the disaster.

According to the Main Directorate of the Russian Emergencies Ministry for Dagestan, the private aircraft was traveling from Kizlyar to Izberbash when it slammed into an unoccupied residence.

The directorate reported that flames have been fully suppressed, noting that the operation mobilized 17 pieces of equipment and 51 personnel.

Criminal proceedings have been launched to investigate safety violations that led to the multiple fatalities.

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