Cyprus army helicopter crashes killing crew

A National Guard helicopter crashed near the south western coastal town of Paphos Wednesday, killing both crew members, a Russian trainer and a Cypriot officer, while on an exercise flight.

The Russian-made Mi35 “Alligator” crashed at 09.18 local time (0718 GMT) a few minutes after it took off from its base at Paphos airport, reportedly after it made several attempts to gain height.

The helicopter went up in flames as drivers from the nearby highway to Limassol rushed to help.

The National Council interrupted its meeting chaired by President Tassos Papadopoulos, while Defence Minister Phivos Klokaris rushed to the scene.

This is the second such accident after former National Guard Commander Evangelos Florakis and four other officers were killed when their Bell helicopter crashed near the same location four years ago.

Florakis had been flying out to the Paphos air base to review the new arrival at the time of the Russian-made helicopters.

Another military trainer aircraft, a PC9, also crashed a year ago killing both crew when it was flying low over the village of Kolossi, near the southern coastal town of Limassol.