Article Posted on : - May 20, 2012

CARACAS, VENEZUELA (AP): Venezuela's defence minister says a military helicopter has crashed during a training flight, killing four servicemen.

Minister Gen. Henry Rangel Silva says one of the five on board the helicopter was injured but survived.

Rangel says the Russian-made MI-17 helicopter crashed during a training flight at an airport in the western town of San Felipe.

He said among those killed in Friday's crash was Col.Oscar Martinez Mora, a flight instructor and commander of a helicopter battalion in the town.

Rangel says the helicopter had been about 10 meters off the ground when it suddenly dropped and crashed. He says officials are investigating what might have caused the accident.