8 die in military helicopter crash in Chechnya

"Three crew members and five passengers from the Tuzkharoi border guard unit died" in the crash near the village of Itum-Kale in mountainous southern Chechnya near the border with Georgia, the Interfax news agency cited Colonel Alexander Drobyshevskiy, chief spokesman of Russia's airforce, as saying.

One injured person was evacuated from the scene, Drobyshevskiy said.

The Mi-8 was carrying a cargo load at the time.

It was accompanied by two Mi-24 helicopters, which were able to accompany a rescue crew on board another helicopter to the scene, Drobyshevskiy said.