Another crash of federal helicopter in Chechnya. Mi-24 helicopter disappeared

The search for a Mi-24 helicopter of the frontier troops continues in Chechnya. The contact with the helicopter has been lost at 2:40 p.m. Sunday. The radar in the airport of Hankala lost the helicopter when the Mi-24 pilot told they were coming in the land. The machine started landing at the height of 1,5 kilometers, but the contact was lost at the height of 600 meters.

The Mi-24 helicopter was making a sanitary flight on the route Vladikavkaz – Tuskhoroy under very complex weather conditions (low visibility and snowfall). A Mi-8 helicopter was performing the same task together with Mi-24; but the helicopter crew has successfully landed in the airport of Beslan.

The headquarters of the United group of troops in the Northern Caucasus reports, about 300 commandos, an An-12 plane of the rescue service, six helicopters of the federal frontier service, the Defense Ministry and internal troops of the Ministry for Internal Affairs have been involved in the search.

The press-service of the frontier department supposes, the Mi-24 helicopter with three crew members on board had to force-land for some uncertain reasons.

Translated by Maria Gousseva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/02/04/36512.html