Five killed as Russian copters collide

Two military helicopters collided over an airfield in Russia’s Far East today, killing five people and injuring one, in the second fatal copter crash in a week, Russian news agencies reported.

The two Mi-24 helicopters collided while attempting to land at the Chernigovka airfield in the Primorye region, about 50 miles from the town of Ussurisk, the Interfax an ITAR-Tass news agencies reported, citing Russian air force spokesman Alexander Drobyshevsky.

Drobyshevsky said five people were killed and one injured, according to the reports.

State-run Channel One television reported that the two helicopters were taking part in major military exercises that began across the Far East last week.

The crash came six days after an Mi-8 helicopter carrying the governor of the Far East region of Sakhalin and 19 other people crashed on the rugged Kamchatka peninsula, killing its passengers and crew.

Air force officials formed a commission and sent its members to the site of the crash to conduct an investigation. Authorities at the airfield were trying to identify the victims.