19 die in Russian copter crash

19 die in Russian copter crash
Tue Jul 2, 2013 12:34:59

At least 19 people have been killed and several others hurt when a Russian helicopter went down in Siberia.

The helicopter packed with passengers crashed in Siberia on Tuesday, killing at least 19 of the 28 people aboard, Russia's civil aviation commission said.

The Mi-8 aircraft operated by Polar Airlines caught fire after crashing in the Sakha region with 25 passengers and three crew on board, the Interstate Aviation Committee said.

Citing a surviving crew member, the committee said on its website that 19 people were killed. State-run Itar-Tass later cited a regional government official as saying 23 people were killed and five survived, including a child.

Sakha, also known as Yakutia, is a vast region stretching north of the Arctic circle and helicopters are frequently used to transport people to remote areas.

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