8 Sep 2012 21:35

Russian copter crash death toll rises to four - source

ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia. Sept 8 (Interfax) - Four dead bodies were found on the site in Dagestan, a republic in the Russian North Caucasus, of Saturday's crash of an army helicopter, which "practically completely" burned down, a North Caucasus Federal District security source said.

The bodies were those of the three crewmembers and "a representative of the command of the air unit," the source told Interfax.

The source said experts from the unit and senior commanders had arrived at the site.

"The crash site of the helicopter is under tight protection. The helicopter is known to have burned," the source said.

"At the moment it's hard to say whether there was any ammunition on board because it is practically completely destroyed by fire," he said.