14 soldiers killed in Azerbaijani helicopter crash

ANKARA

An Azerbaijani border patrol helicopter crashed on Tuesday during a training mission, killing 14 soldiers and injuring two others on board, said an official statement.

The helicopter crashed in the Garaeybat training range in the northeastern Khyzy region, said the State Border Service.

An investigation into the incident has been launched.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev released a statement, expressing his sympathy for the families and relatives of the soldiers who lost their lives.

Turkey also extended its condolences to Azerbaijan over the incident, with the Foreign Ministry statement wishing Allah’s mercy upon soldiers killed, and swift recovery for the wounded.

Separately, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke to his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov over the phone about the incident, diplomatic sources said.

Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay also offered his condolences over the deadly crash.

"I wish God's mercy on our Azerbaijani brothers who were martyred in the military helicopter crash today, and a speedy recovery to the injured people," he wrote on Twitter.