Seven government officials Including state governor killed in Sudan helicopter crash
The helicopter exploded in flames after it hit a communications tower as it tried to land in the remote Al-Qadarif state, witnesses are quoted by AFP news agency as saying.
There are said to be seven fatalities and several injured occupants.
No official reason has yet been given for the crash.
A number of people were taken to hospital for treatment, state media reported, without giving more details.
Among the dead are Al-Qadarif governor Mirghani Saleh, his cabinet chief, the local police chief, and agriculture minister, the reports added.
Governor Mirghani Salih was traveling from the city of Gadarif heading to Gallabat, Ashorooq TV reported. Both cities are in Gadarif.
Most of Sudan’s military and civilian fleet consists of old Soviet-made aircraft, and the country has suffered a series of crashes in recent years, with the military frequently blaming technical problems and bad weather.
In October eight people were injured in a collision between two Sudanese army planes on the runway at Khartoum airport.
Weeks earlier in September, two pilots were killed when their military jet crashed near Omdurman, Khartoum’s twin city on the west bank of the Nile.
That accident came days after a military helicopter crashed and caught fire on landing in Darfur, though all passengers were rescued.
