According to reports from Tuoi Tre and Thanh Nien, the death toll in yesterday morning’s military helicopter crash has reached 19.
The Mi 171 helicopter crashed in a Thach That District paddy field at 7:53am with 21 people onboard for a parachute training exercise.
According to Lieutenant General Vo Van Tuan, vice chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, the accident was due to “a technical problem,” adding that the pilot was able to keep the aircraft in the air long enough to avoid residential areas.
Witnesses reported hearing a small explosion followed by debris falling from the sky before the chopper fell to the ground and burst into flames.
16 soldiers died on the spot while 3 more who were admitted to the hospital succumbed to their wounds, bringing the death toll to 19.
