A Nigerian Air Force MI-171 Helicopter on a casualty evacuation mission crashed yesterday near Chukuba Village in Niger State.

NAF spokesman, Edward Gabkwet, who confirmed the accident in a statement, said the aircraft had departed Zungeru Primary School enroute Kaduna, but was later discovered to have crashed near Chukuba Village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

The accident happened on Monday at about 1pm – and the number of persons aboard the ill-fated flight or their present state were unknown as of press time.

The statement added that investigations have commenced to determine the probable cause of the crash.”