Military helicopter crash-lands in Russia, kills 4 on board

Moscow, May 26

A Russian military helicopter crash-landed on an airfield Tuesday in the far eastern region of Chukotka, killing four people, the military said.

The crash involving a Mi-8 helicopter may have been caused by a technical malfunction, the Defense Ministry said. Three crew members and a technician on board died in the crash, according to the governor of Chukotka, Roman Kopin.

It’s the second fatal incident with a military Mi-8 helicopter in a week. On May 19, another Mi-8 crash-landed near the town of Klin, 90 kilometers (56 miles) from Moscow, killing all three crew members.

Officials said at the time that crash was probably caused by a technical malfunction.

The Mi-8 is a multipurpose, medium twin-turbine helicopter, originally designed in the Soviet Union and now produced by Russia. It is one of the most common helicopters in the Russian armed forces. —AP