13 killed in helicopter crash in Kazakhstan

A military helicopter has crashed in southwestern Kazakhstan, killing all 13 servicemen on board, the defence ministry said yesterday. The crash involving the Russian-made Mi-8 aircraft occurred on Wednesday, the ministry said in a statement. “13 servicemen were killed... while performing their military duty,” it said. Kazakhstan’s new president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev tweeted that he had ordered an investigation into the crash. A Soviet-era workhorse first built in the 1960s, the Mi-8 helicopter is widely used to transport passengers and supplies to remote sites. Tokayev became Kazakhstan’s president last week following the shock resignation of long-ruling 78-year-old strongman Nursultan Nazarbayev, who has retained key decision-making powers in the Central Asian country of 18 million.

 

13 killed in helicopter crash in Kazakhstan

A military helicopter has crashed in southwestern Kazakhstan, killing all 13 servicemen on board, the defence ministry said yesterday. The crash involving the Russian-made Mi-8 aircraft occurred on Wednesday, the ministry said in a statement. 13 servicemen were killed... while performing their military duty, it said. Kazakhstans new president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev tweeted that he had ordered an investigation into the crash. A Soviet-era workhorse first built in the 1960s, the Mi-8 helicopter is widely used to transport passengers and supplies to remote sites. Tokayev became Kazakhstans president last week following the shock resignation of long-ruling 78-year-old strongman Nursultan Nazarbayev, who has retained key decision-making powers in the Central Asian country of 18 million.