18 killed in Ethiopian military helicopter crash

The aircraft crashed on a flight between the eastern Ethiopian city of Dire Dawa and the air force headquarters in Bishoftu. The cause of the crash is being investigated, an official said.

An Ethiopian military helicopter crashed on Thursday, killing 18 people, the state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate reported.

Everyone on board — 15 soldiers and three civilians — was killed. (AP/Picture for representation)

The aircraft crashed on a flight between the eastern city of Dire Dawa and the Ethiopian air force headquarters in Bishoftu, a resort town southeast of the capital Addis Ababa, the agency said.

Everyone on board — 15 soldiers and three civilians — was killed.

“The cause of the crash is being investigated. I express deep sorrow for those who lost their lives,” Addisu Arega, a top official in Oromia region where the crash occurred, wrote on Facebook.

In 2013, an Ethiopian military cargo plane crashed in Mogadishu, killing four crew members.