MOSCOW - Rescuers have found the missing Mi-8 helicopter in Russia's Trans-Baikal region and all seven people aboard the helicopter were alive, local emergency department said on Sunday.  

A spokesperson for the regional emergencies department said the helicopter was found at 17:09 Moscow time (1309 GMT), adding that over 110 rescuers and 15 units of special equipment had been involved in the rescue operation.

According to the press service of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry, the helicopter had conducted an emergency landing in the Kyrym District of the Trans-Baikal region and nobody aboard the plane was injured.

Earlier on Sunday, local reports said the Mi-8 helicopter has been missing in eastern Russia.

The helicopter, which belongs to the Siberian branch of Russia' s Emergency Situations Ministry, lost contact with authorities at 12:45 Moscow time (0845 GMT) in Trans-Baikal area. Later, the plane's emergency location beacon started to send signals.

According to local reports, the plane had been performing a patrol flight over forests in the south of the Trans-Baikal region before it was reportedly missing.