Fifteen people, including seven minors, died in Peru in the crash of a military helicopter that disappeared on Sunday in the Arequipa region, in the south of the country, the Peruvian Air Force announced yesterday, quoted by Agence France-Presse, BTA reported.
After activating search operations, special forces patrols and police located the Mi-17 helicopter, which had lost radio contact on Sunday afternoon," the Peruvian Air Force said in a statement.
"Rescue teams confirmed the deaths of the four crew members, as well as the 11 passengers who were on board," the Air Force added, specifying that among the passengers there were seven people under the age of 18 years.
The Russian-made helicopter was reported missing on Sunday afternoon after taking off from the city of Pisco, in the Ica region, towards Chala, in the Arequipa region, about 1,100 km south of Lima. Rescuers located the helicopter in the Chala area, AFP reported.