Four soldiers were killed when a military S-70 helicopter crashed in the Yeşilyurt district of Malatya province in eastern Turkey. The incident occurred on Thursday evening.
According to Turkish media reports, the helicopter crashed in the Samanköy area of the district at approximately 6:45 PM local time.
The Turkish Ministry of National Defense has confirmed the crash, though the cause remains unknown.
In a statement, the Ministry said, “An S-70 model helicopter of ours has been involved in an accident in Malatya for reasons yet to be determined. The wreckage has been located, and rescue operations were launched immediately.”
Following the incident, fire services, emergency medical teams, and personnel from Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) arrived at the scene.
Emergency responders brought a small fire at the crash site under control. Meanwhile, police and military officials inspected the site and have initiated an investigation.
The Ministry of National Defense has not provided details regarding the nature of the mission the helicopter was undertaking or the total number of personnel on board.
The S-70 is a multi-purpose military helicopter from the Black Hawk family, manufactured by the American defense firm Sikorsky. These helicopters are used by the armed forces of various nations, including Turkey.
