Moscow: A helicopter with 21 people on board disappeared over Russia's far North, the Russian media quoted a spokesman for the Emergencies Ministry as saying on July 11.

The helicopter, which carried eight crew members and 13 passengers, left the polar city of Norilsk on July 10 and failed to arrive at its scheduled destination.

The emergencies ministry sent a plane with 14 rescuers to look for the helicopter.

However, difficult weather conditions in the area complicated the rescuers' task.

Ministry officials failed to give an explanation for the helicopter's disappearance in the Taymyr region.