Turkish military S-70 helicopter crashes in Malatya, killing 4 soldiers; cause unknown

MALATYA, Turkey, Nov 12 — A Turkish military S-70 helicopter crashed and caught fire in the eastern province of Malatya on Thursday evening, killing all four soldiers on board. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined.

Defence ministry confirms four dead

Reuters reported that the Turkish defence ministry said in a statement that the S-70 helicopter crashed in Malatya "for an as-yet-undetermined reason," killing four soldiers, and that rescue teams had reached the wreckage. The ministry did not release the names of the soldiers killed, and the cause remains under investigation.

Crash site and what happened

The crash happened near Samankoy in the Yesilyurt district of Malatya province. Reports said the wreckage caught fire after the crash and the fire spread to a nearby house; no one on the ground was hurt. Footage aired by Turkish media showed the wreckage burning at night as ambulances and police vehicles arrived at the scene. Several Turkish officials have posted condolences on social media.

(Sources: Turkish Defence Ministry; Reuters. This is a developing story; casualty figures and details are subject to official confirmation. Photo: file image.)