Sad to hear of the loss of life, but I was amazed to read that the aircraft was only "three years old." They're still building Kanias?
The Mi-2 was a major breakthrough in its day, but even the 'upgraded' Kania made the AS355 look overpowered, and I wouldn't want to be flying one in 2009, especially with mission gear fitted.
Polish border service helicopter crashes in Belarus while on patrol, killing all 3 onboard By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (CP) – 21 hours ago
MINSK, Belarus — Belarusian officials say a helicopter operated by the Polish border service has crashed during patrol and three crew members were killed.
Belarus' border service says the Polish helicopter landed 200 metres from the border, near the Belarusian village of Vysokoye.
Contact with the helicopter was lost Saturday evening. Belarusian border service spokesman Grigory Vabishchevich says a local resident reported hearing an explosion after the helicopter flew over.
He says about 200 border guards and rescue workers set out to search for the helicopter, which was found early Sunday.
It is still unclear what caused the crash of the three-year-old Polish-made Kania helicopter.
Vabishchevich says the aircraft appeared to have hit the ground at high speed.
I/C