Turkey Helicopter Crash Kills 17 Soldiers

At least 17 soldiers have died in a helicopter crash in southeast Turkey.

The Sikorsky type military helicopter crashed on Herekol Mountain, in the Pervari area of Siirt province, according to a Reuters report quoting Siirt Governor Ahmet Aydin. The victims were members of the Turkish gendarmerie special forces.

According to state-run TRT television, the crash occurred in the mountainous region due to heavy fog.

Helicopters frequently operate in the region, ferrying the military to areas dominated by Kurdish militants.

An investigation into the cause of the crash is under way.