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Navy helicopter apparently crashes, killing one

16 April 2010 23:28 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. An anti-submarine helicopter apparently crashed while patrolling waters off South Korea’s southwest coast, leaving one dead and three others missing, officials said Friday, APA reports quoting â€œYonhap newsâ€.

The "Lynx" helicopter is believed to have gone down around 9 p.m. Thursday in waters about 14.5 kilometers off the island of Jindo, as it disappeared from radar after losing contact with its command while on a patrolling mission, military and coast guard officials said.

One of the four people aboard the Navy aircraft, Lt. Kwon Dae-ha, was found dead, and the others remain missing.

Naval and coast guard vessels are scouring the area for the missing and the wreckage.

The apparent crash adds to the Navy’s difficulties in the wake of the tragic sinking of a patrol ship near the tense Yellow Sea border with North Korea last month.

On Thursday, the tattered stern of the 1,200-ton corvette Cheonan was raised from the sea and the bodies of 36 missing sailors were found inside the wreckage.

Eight crew members are still missing and the cause of the sinking has yet to be determined.