Military helicopter crashes into residential area in Malatya: 4 soldiers killed

Four soldiers were killed when a military helicopter crashed in the evening hours in Samanköy neighbourhood of Yeşilyurt district in Malatya. A fire broke out in the area after the helicopter came down at a point close to the residential area.

Following reports, security forces, fire brigades and medical teams were dispatched to the scene. The fire spread to a nearby house; it was brought under control and extinguished by the teams' intervention. It was stated that pieces that broke off the helicopter during the crash hit the house. Two citizens who were in the house were lightly injured in the incident, and an examination of the health condition of the injured has been launched.

The investigation into the cause of the crash continues. According to information compiled by Sözcü, among the crashes involving Sikorsky helicopters in Turkey are the helicopter that went down in Pervari district of Siirt on 10 November 2012, in which 17 soldiers were killed; the S-70 type helicopter that went down in Giresun Alucra on 5 July 2016, in which 7 soldiers were killed and 8 soldiers were injured; and the crash of a police helicopter belonging to the General Directorate of Security in Tunceli Pülümür on 18 April 2017, in which 12 people were killed, including 1 judge, 7 police officers, 1 non-commissioned officer and 3 crew members. On 26 November 2018, a military helicopter on a training flight crashed into a residential area in Istanbul's Sancaktepe, killing 4 soldiers and injuring 1 soldier.

The Sikorsky S-70 is described as a medium-class general purpose and transport vehicle developed by US-based Sikorsky Aircraft; the platform, known as the UH-60 Black Hawk in the US Army inventory, is actively in service in the air, land and naval forces of many countries besides the Turkish Armed Forces.