MOSCOW: A junior Russian biathlete aged just 15 died Friday in hospital after being shot by his teammate at a training camp, local media reported.

Reports said the incident happened at Izhevsk sports base in the central Russian region of Udmurtia, where the students of former star biathlete Albina Akhatova`s school set up their summer training camp.

Alexei Zakolyukin, director of the training base, said local police had launched an investigation into the case.

"We still do not know all the details of the incident," he said. "We just know that one 15-year-old biathlete shot his contemporary."

"The safety regulations foresee that the cartridges should be given to the biathletes only at the course in the presence of their coaches. The police are trying to find out how the cartridges appeared in the base campus."

Russian Biathlon Union (RBU) set up a commission, which is due to study all the circumstances of the incident and issue its report on the case before August 1.

Biathlon is a testing combination of cross-country skiing and shooting which is one of Russia`s most successful winter sports. Stringent safety measures means shooting accidents are extremely unusual.

BDST: 1452hrs, July 16, 2010