13 soldiers die in helicopter crash in Turkey’s southeast

TIL Desk/World/Istanbul/ Thirteen soldiers were killed today when a helicopter crashed in southeast Turkey after hitting a high-voltage power line, the army said. The Cougar helicopter crashed shortly after taking off from a base in Sirnak province bordering Iraq, killing all 13 onboard, it said in a statement.

“Our hero comrades in the helicopter fell as martrys,” the army said.  Initial findings showed it was an accident, said the army, adding that an investigation was underway. Turkey’s chief of staff, General Hulusi Akar, travelled to the region to carry out an inspection.

In a separate statement, the local governor’s office said rescue teams had been dispatched to the scene. In March, seven people, including four Russians, were killed when a privately-owned helicopter crashed in Istanbul after hitting a television tower.