Russian Mi-28N military helicopter crashes, pilot dies

(Baonghean.vn) - A Mi-28N Night Hunter military helicopter crashed in Syria while flying near the city of Homs, the Russian Defense Ministry press service said. The ministry confirmed that the helicopter was not shot down.

Illustration: RT.

The announcement reads: “On April 12, at 1:29 a.m. (local time), a Russian Air Force helicopter crashed, and two crew members died.”

Sources at the scene said the helicopter did not explode. Rescue operations found the pilots' bodies and returned them to Khmeimim airbase.

“A team of aircraft crash experts is currently working at the scene. The cause of the accident is under investigation,” the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

The Mi-28N Night Hunter is a two-seat, all-weather, day and night anti-tank attack helicopter armed with a 33mm cannon, guided and unguided missiles. It has outstanding night combat capabilities, allowing it to strike multiple targets simultaneously.

The accident in Homs, Syria was the third incident in the operational history of the Mi-28N.

On August 2, 2015, a Mi-28N belonging to the Golden Eagle aerobatic team was performing at the Aviamix show near Ryazan, Russia when it began spinning and crashed into a nearby forest, before bursting into flames. One of the two pilots on board at the time was also killed.

Watch clip of Mi-28N accident on August 2, 2015:

The first Mi-28N crash occurred in 2011, when an attack helicopter crashed due to engine failure. The flight captain was killed in the incident.

Phu Binh

(According to RT)