One Missing From Air Force Helicopter Crash: Nigeria

Nigerian authorities on Wednesday described a member of the crew of an air force helicopter that crashed on Monday as "missing in action."



"Only one body has so far been recovered from the site of the crashed air force helicopter," army spokesman Chris Olukolade said in a statement.



"The body of the technician, the third member of the crew, is yet to be located.  He is therefore declared missing-in-action until found," added Olukolade.



"A rescue team is continuing to search in the vicinity of the scene of the accident," said the spokesman.



The military on Monday night announced that one of three crew members had been found alive while the two others had been declared dead.



Olukolade attributed the crash – which occurred in Nigeria's restive Borno State, a stronghold of the Boko Haram militant group – to a "technical fault," going on to rule out any "enemy action."



His comments preempted speculation that insurgents may have played a role in the crash.



By Rafiu Ajakaye



englishnews@aa.com.tr



www.aa.com.tr/en - Lagos