Nicaraguan military helicopter crash kills at least 9

MANAGUA, NICARGUA (BNO NEWS) -- A Nicaraguan military helicopter crash killed at least nine soldiers on Thursday in the country's western region, officials said.

The aircraft crashed at around 11:30 a.m. local time into Lake Xolotlan, not far from Managua, the country's capital, after responding to an emergency call, Colonel Orlando Palacios Navarrete, spokesperson for the Nicaraguan Army confirmed.

Among those killed in the accident were a number of senior officials from the country's Air Force, however, only one body had been recovered, as Army emergency divers carried out search-and-rescue operations.

The medium-sized, twin-turbine MI-17 helicopter is a Russian helicopter, which is commonly used as a transport aircraft, can also be used as a gunship.

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