A Cougar military helicopter crashed in Turkey’s southeastern Sirnak province on Wednesday evening, killing all 13 soldiers on board.
A military statement said the AS532 Cougar helicopter crashed shortly after taking off from a base in the region of Senoba.
“As a result of the painful accident, our hero comrades in the helicopter fell as martrys,” the statement said.
It added that initial investigations show that the crash was due to pilot error.
The military didn’t provide information on the victims. The private DHA news agency, however, said the helicopter was carrying a delegation, headed by a major-general, which was inspecting the Senoba region. Other media reports said there were six other officers on board.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was reportedly briefed about the accident after chairing the country’s top National Security Council meeting in Ankara.
