MOSCOW - A Mi-8 helicopter with seven people aboard has been reported missing in eastern Russian, local media reported on Sunday.

The helicopter lost contact with authorities at 12:45 Moscow time (0845 GMT) in Russia's Trans-Baikal area, and later the plane's emergency location beacon started to send signals, the RIA Novosti news agency quoted a source in regional law enforcement agencies as saying.

According to the source, the helicopter, belonging to the Siberian branch of Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry, was performing a patrol flight over forests in the south of the Trans-Baikal region.

No information is available so far about the helicopter's whereabouts or the crew's condition. A search for the helicopter is under way.