Five dead in Sudan helicopter crash

A helicopter crashed Sunday in eastern Sudan, killing at least five local officials who were on board, state media reported.

Witnesses said the helicopter caught fire after hitting a communications tower as it tried to land in a field in the state of Al-Qadarif.

“Flames and thick dark smoke rose from the aircraft,” one of the witnesses, Adam Hassan, said.

Al-Qadarif governor Mirghani Saleh, his cabinet chief, the local minister of agriculture as well as the local police chief and head of border guards were killed, state television said.- AFP