Casualties as Russian helicopter crash-lands in northern Syria

A Russian military helicopter made an emergency landing for technical reasons in northeast Syria, Russia's Defence Ministry has said.

Syria's state media said there were casualties among the crew.

Russia joined Syria’s war in September 2015 and has since helped tip the balance of power in favour of Bashar al Assad’s regime. 

Russian troops are deployed in different parts of Syria, including the northeast.

Syrian regime news agency SANA said the incident happened on Sunday morning near the village of Tel Tamr in northeastern Al Hasakah province.

One crew member was killed and others were wounded, the report said, without further details.

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No firing impact

The Russian Defence Ministry said a Russian Mi-35 helicopter made an emergency landing for technical reasons while patrolling Al Hasakah province.

“According to the crew’s report, there was no firing impact on the helicopter,” the ministry statement said. 

It added the helicopter's crew was evacuated.

“The crew of the Mi-35 helicopter was promptly delivered to the airfield by the search and rescue service. There was no threat to the fliers’ lives,” the ministry said.

Syrian regime media said there were reports a pilot was killed in a Russian helicopter in the crash in Al Hasakah. 

That is close to a Russian base where Moscow conducts joint patrols under a Turkish-Russian deal in 2019.

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