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UN says Russian nationals killed in helicopter crash in South Sudan

26 August 2014 19:03 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. UN says Russian nationals killed in helicopter crash in South Sudan.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary General confirmed that the three killed helicopter pilots were Russian citizens. He added that the helicopter was chartered from a Russian company, APA reports quoting Itar-Tass.

Earlier, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) issued a statement saying that three crew members died and one survived in a helicopter crash. It has confirmed that three crew members of a Mi-8 helicopter contracted by the UN have died as a result of the helicopter's crash near Bentiu, Unity state Tuesday evening. The survivor has been provided medical aid by a Medics Without Borders team in Bentiu, according to the statement.

UN representative stated earlier in Juba that the helicopter was probably shot down. “Communication with the aircraft was interrupted in the afternoon, when the helicopter apparently was shot down near the city of Bentiu,” he said.

UNMISS has sent a search and rescue team to the site of the Mi-8 crash. There were no reports about the number and nationality of the helicopter’s crew members.