Chopper crash kills 22 in Sierra Leone
Tuesday, 5 June 2007
FREETOWN, Jun 4 (Reuters): Twenty-two people, most of them Togolese sports officials, were killed when a passenger helicopter exploded and crashed Sunday at Sierra Leone's main international airport, aviation officials said.
The Russian pilot of the Russian-made Mi-8 helicopter survived the crash. The helicopter was operated by Paramount Airlines, which shuttles passengers between Sierra Leone's coastal capital Freetown and Lungi airport.
The helicopter was carrying a delegation of Togolese sports officials who had earlier attended an African Nations Cup soccer qualifying game played in Freetown between Sierra Leone and Togo. Togo won 1-0.
The cause of the accident was not immediately known. The helicopter came down in flames on an airport runway.
The Russian pilot of the Russian-made Mi-8 helicopter survived the crash. The helicopter was operated by Paramount Airlines, which shuttles passengers between Sierra Leone's coastal capital Freetown and Lungi airport.
The helicopter was carrying a delegation of Togolese sports officials who had earlier attended an African Nations Cup soccer qualifying game played in Freetown between Sierra Leone and Togo. Togo won 1-0.
The cause of the accident was not immediately known. The helicopter came down in flames on an airport runway.