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UN Mission in DRC not confirm officially death of four Russian pilots

"Crew members are missing. At this stage we cannot confirm their deaths,” MONUSCO spokesperson said

PRETORIA, March 11 (Itar-Tass) – The UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) refused to confirm officially the death of four Russian pilots in the crash of the UTair helicopter Mi-8.

“The four crew members are missing. At this stage we cannot confirm their deaths,” MONUSCO spokesperson Carlos Araujo told Itar-Tass on Monday.

The forces of the UN Mission spotted the crash site of the helicopter Mi-8, 20 kilometres west of Bukavu in the province Sud Kivu. “Bad weather conditions and the location of the site (in a very mountainous terrain) are hampering the rescue operation. We should have more news when our rescue team reaches the site of the crash,” Araujo said.

MONUSCO military spokesman Col. Felix Basse told the local radio station Okapi before that all four crewmen of the helicopter died in the crash.