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Official: Helicopter crash kills 6 in Russia

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-07-22 17:24

ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia: An emergency official in southern Russia says a helicopter belonging to state company Gazprom has crashed, killing six people and critically injuring two others.

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Emergency Situations Ministry spokesman Marat Prokopenkov says the Russian-built Mi-8 helicopter burst into flames when it hit the ground in the Volgograd region early Wednesday. He says an engine failed.

Gazprom Avia, the company's private airline, said the helicopter had been chartered by Lukoil, Russia's largest privately owned oil company. It said five Lukoil engineers and one crew member were killed, while two crewmembers survived.

Poor maintenance means helicopter crashes are common in Russia.