A Vietnamese army helicopter crashed near a military airport on the outskirts of Hanoi early on Monday, injuring several people, a senior official said.
The accident occurred at about 8 a.m. (0100 GMT) when the helicopter, which was carrying 21 people, crashed while taking part in a military exercise in Thach That district, Deputy Lieutenant General Vo Van Tuan, Chief of Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, said.
He said several people had been injured.
A doctor at Military 105 hospital said many of the injured are in critical condition with serious burns.
Among the 21 on board were 10 soldiers, eight parachutists and three helicopter crew members.
One report in the local media said over a dozen people had been killed, but Tuan did not confirm this.
The helicopter exploded causing a fire which made it difficult for rescue workers to access the area, Nguyen Manh Hong, deputy chairman of the district said.
One witness told newspaper Tuoi Tre she saw the helicopter flying overhead, apparently in trouble, before it crashed and exploded.
