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Russian officer dies in UN mission’s helicopter crash in DR Congo — embassy

According to the UN secretary general’s office, along with the Russian officer, there were one Serbian national and six Pakistani officers onboard the helicopter

PRETORIA, March 29. /TASS/. A Russian senior officer died in the crash of a UN mission’s helicopter in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a spokesman for the Russian embassy in that country told TASS.

"Lieutenant Colonel Alexey Mizyura (commander of the group of Russian military observers under the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or MONUSCO - TASS) died while on duty within the UN mission," he said, adding that Mizyura was the only Russian national onboard the ill-fated helicopter with the Pakistani crew.

According to the UN secretary general’s office, along with the Russian officer, there were one Serbian national and six Pakistani officers onboard the helicopter.

MONUSCO said earlier on Tuesday it had lost contact with its helicopter, which was on a reconnaissance mission in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where government forces are fighting against the March 23 Movement rebels.

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