2 killed in helicopter crash in Ukraine

Kyiv, July 17

A helicopter crashed in Ukraine on Saturday, killing both crew members, officials said.

The Mi-2 helicopter crashed and caught fire near the village of Zaive in the southern Mykolaiv region, 435 kilometers (270 miles) south of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, the Emergencies Service said.

The helicopter was operated by Meridian-Avia-Agro, a private company offering aerial spraying of agricultural chemicals.

The cause of the crash wasn’t immediately known.

The Mi-2 is a small Soviet-designed helicopter that has remained in service in the former Soviet nations and other countries around the world. — AP