Three people have been reported dead as a Nigerien military helicopter crashed on return from a routine training flight.
The Minister of Defence, Alkassoum Indatou, in a statement issued on Monday, said that the accident happened when the Russian-built Mi-17 crashed as it was landing at a military base at Niamey airport.
The statement read in part, “Unfortunately, all three crewmembers – a Nigerien officer and NCO and an expatriate instructor – died immediately despite efforts by rescue services to put out the fire… An investigation has been launched.”
In another story, the defence minister said on Monday that, “25 terrorists” were killed last week “from an air strike” in the western region of Tillaberi.
