Fatal Tourist Bus Crash: Berkut Tour Center Declines Comment
The prosecutor«s office confirmed that the tourists had purchased tour packages from them.
A representative of Berkut Tour Center, whose tourists were traveling on a Primoravtotrans bus and were involved in an accident with a Chinese car carrier near the village of Filippovka, declined to comment. It remains unknown whether there are any clients of the company among the injured and deceased, as there was likely more than one group on the bus.
According to a source from VLADIVOSTOK1.RU close to tourism and the tragedy, at least two tour groups were returning on one scheduled bus that day. Some people likely got off earlier, while others were heading to Vladivostok. The source noted that, according to his information, Berkut does have injured tourists, but it was not possible to confirm or refute the interlocutor«s information.
The mass traffic accident involving a bus, a heavy truck, and at least four other cars occurred on January 22 around 8:00 p.m. near the village of Barabash. The King Lion bus was carrying tourists from China and collided with a FAW Jiefang car carrier at the 56th kilometer, driven by a Chinese citizen with six years of driving experience.
News about the high-profile accident has been compiled in a special story via the link, and details and all that is known — in the article.
Since 2014, Berkut Tour Center has been headed by Elena Tekieva, who owns 66.67% of the shares. Her partner is Ekaterina Tekieva, who owns the remaining 33.33%. By the end of 2024, the company had 8 employees, and its assets are valued at 18.7 million rubles (approximately $208,000 at current rates). According to Kontur.Focus, Elena Tekieva is involved in 56 organizations, in 20 of which she is listed as the head; some have ceased operations. The woman«s first and last name match the full name of the wife of Primorye Regional Assembly deputy Dzhambulat Tekiev.
Ekaterina Tekieva, whose full name matches that of the deputy«s daughter, is less involved; among active companies, she has a real estate agency and participation in the founders of LLC Concert Hall, which was previously called Fesco Hall and was renamed in 2024 when the transport group FESCO decided to prohibit the use of its name for an entertainment center.
Over the past three years, the company has not been involved in court proceedings. A lawsuit for 700 thousand rubles (approximately $7,800 at current rates) was filed, but it was never considered. No enforcement proceedings, tax debts, or other legal risks have been identified. The company«s legal activity remains low.
The company«s reviews are mixed, with more positive ones in which people thank the tour firm for trips to China. But some were dissatisfied with the attitude during the journey. Problems with trip cancellations are not mentioned in the reviews, nor are financial disputes. The overall rating on 2GIS is 3.5 points with only 44 votes.
