Helicopter Down in Afghanistan
BBC NEWS | Special Reports | Helicopter crashes in Afghanistan
Afghan helicopter crash kills 16
Russian media say the aircraft was an Mi-8 similar to this
A civilian helicopter has crashed in southern Afghanistan, killing at least 16 people, a military official has told the BBC.
The helicopter crashed at the Kandahar air field, Nato's largest base in southern Afghanistan, apparently as it was trying to take off.
Reports from Moscow say the helicopter was a Russian-built Mi-8.
The crash is the second of a helicopter in Afghanistan in a week. Six died in a crash in Helmand province on Tuesday.
Russia's Interfax agency quoted a spokesman for Russia's Federal Air Transportation Agency as saying: "An Mi-8 transport helicopter crashed at take-off from an airfield in Kandahar."
The nationalities of the dead are not yet known.
Last edited by Senior Pilot; 19th Jul 2009 at 10:47.
Reason: Add text as quote