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Mi-8 military helicopter crashes near Moscow, crew dies — defense ministry

The crash might have been caused by a technical failure

© Alexander Riumin/TASS

MOSCOW, May 19. /TASS/. The crew of the Mi-8 helicopter of the Russian aerospace forces that crash landed near Moscow has died, the Russian defense ministry said on Tuesday.

"A Mi-8 helicopter of the Russian aerospace that was on a training flight crash landed 20 kilometers of the settlement of Klin, Moscow region, in a desolate location at about 20:00 Moscow time on May 19. The crew died of injuries," the ministry said.

"According to preliminary data, the crash might have been caused by a technical failure," it said, adding that there were no broadside munitions onboard.

The source in the emergencies services told TASS on Tuesday the rotorcraft was destroyed in the accident.

"The helicopter has been practically destroyed. The crew of three has died," the source said, adding that there were no damages on the ground.

The previous military helicopter crash took place on May 7 when a Mi-35 rotorcraft crash landed in Crimea. One crewmember died, two others survived.

The Mi-8 is a family of multipurpose helicopters manufactured in the former Soviet Union and later in Russia. It is one of the world’s most mass produced rotorcraft. More than 12,000 Mi-8 helicopters of various modifications have been manufactured since 1965. Such helicopters have been exported to more than 100 world nations.

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