Indian air force helicopter crash kills five
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption File photo of an Mi-17 V5 helicopter, acquired by the Indian air force from Russia
An Indian air force helicopter has crashed in the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, killing five military personnel.
A sixth passenger on board the Mi-17 V5 helicopter is reported to be critically injured, Press Trust of India quoted a senior air force official as saying.
The crash took place at around 06:00 local time (00:30 GMT) when it was on a maintenance mission.
Rescue teams are at the crash site in Tawang near the India-China border.
The injured man has been admitted to a local hospital, and an inquiry has been ordered into the accident.
While the Mi-17 V-5 is among the most sophisticated military transport helicopters, India’s ageing air force fleet is often blamed for the high number of air crashes there.
More than 170 helicopter and plane pilots have died over three decades, AFP reports.
The air force is investing billions of dollars to replace older aircraft, but the procurement process has suffered delays.
