The Mi-35 Helicopter, said to be on a training mission, crashed Monday afternoon at a location South of Bama, according to Mr. Olukolade.

Two of the three crew members aboard the Nigerian Air Force helicopter that crashed in Bama on Monday have been confirmed dead, the Defence Headquarters has said.

In a statement Monday night, the spokesperson of the Defence Headquarters, Chris Olukolade, said three crew members were aboard the aircraft when it crashed.

He said while one, a pilot, was rescued alive, another pilot as well as a technician died in the accident.
Mr. Olukolade did not say whether there were other passengers aboard the helicopter at the time of the crash.
He only said rescue operation was ongoing.

The Mi-35 helicopter, said to be on a training mission, crashed Monday afternoon at a location South of Bama in the North-east state of Borno, according to Mr. Olukolade.

Mr. Olukolade’s initial statement did not say whether anyone was killed or injured in the crash.

Mr. Olukolade, a Major General, said investigation has commenced to unravel the circumstances leading to the accident.

He however said the accident was not a result “of any enemy action”, saying it was due to a technical fault.

Bama is one of the locations in Borno state where the extremist Boko Haram sect has intensified its terrorist activities.

The Nigerian military has continued to launch ground and aerial assaults on the area to crush the terrorists.
The Boko Haram sect has killed more than 12,000 people since it began its insurgency about five years ago.