Macedonia probes army chopper crash

The Macedonia government set up a commission to investigate yesterday's military helicopter crash that killed all aboard. The emergency cabinet session decided to appoint the body to probe the incident that took the lives of 11 Macedonian troops, when their helicopter crashed, for as yet unknown reasons, some 25 kilometers southeast of Skopje. Macedonia probes army chopper crash The victims' families will receive aid, while the perished troops themselves will receive full military funerals, the session also decided. The data available so far shows that the helicopter, an MI-17, departed Sarajevo at 10:10 a.m., en route Skopje. Its passengers were soldiers serving in EU's Bosnian military mission, EUFOR. Eight other members did not board the helicopter and were left behind in Sarajevo. The Russian-made MI-17 recently underwent overhaul, and reported no malfunction ahead of departing the Bosnian capital. Experts at this point do not wish to speculate on the possible reasons for the crash. The helicopter crashed near Katlanovsko Blace. Due to poor visibility and inaccessible terrain, rescue crews were not immediately sent to the crash site, the authorities confirmed Sunday. The helicopter fell 50 meters from the nearest houses, but there were no reported injuries on the ground. Witnesses said that parts of the aircraft could be found in a 100-meter radius from the crash site, and also on nearby trees and rooftops. The crash site (Beta)

Macedonia probes army chopper crash

The victims' families will receive aid, while the perished troops themselves will receive full military funerals, the session also decided.

The data available so far shows that the helicopter, an MI-17, departed Sarajevo at 10:10 a.m., en route Skopje. Its passengers were soldiers serving in EU's Bosnian military mission, EUFOR.

Eight other members did not board the helicopter and were left behind in Sarajevo.

The Russian-made MI-17 recently underwent overhaul, and reported no malfunction ahead of departing the Bosnian capital.

Experts at this point do not wish to speculate on the possible reasons for the crash.

The helicopter crashed near Katlanovsko Blace. Due to poor visibility and inaccessible terrain, rescue crews were not immediately sent to the crash site, the authorities confirmed Sunday.

The helicopter fell 50 meters from the nearest houses, but there were no reported injuries on the ground. Witnesses said that parts of the aircraft could be found in a 100-meter radius from the crash site, and also on nearby trees and rooftops.