MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th January, 2023) The death toll in a helicopter crash in the Ukrainian city of Brovary reached 18, including three children, while 29 people, including 15 children, were injured, the head of the Kiev regional military administration, Oleksiy Kuleba, said on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, a helicopter had crashed in Brovary near a kindergarten and residential buildings. Children and staff of the kindergarten were evacuated. Earlier reports indicated 16 killed and 22 injured.
"The tragedy in Brovary. The death toll has increased. As of 10:30 (08:30 GMT), 18 have died, including three children. It is known about 29 injured, including 15 children," he said on his Telegram channel.
According to police, Ukrainian Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky and his first deputy Yevgeny Enin were killed in the accident.
"This morning, on January 18, a helicopter of the State Emergency Service crashed in Brovary. As a result of the crash, the management of the Ministry of Internal Affairs was killed: the minister, a first deputy minister and the secretary of state," the police said.
Ukrainian National Police Chief Ihor Klymenko said that nine of the crash's victims were aboard the helicopter.
The Interior Ministry of Ukraine named malfunction of the chopper, violations of safety rules and sabotage among possible causes of the accident. The military authorities, in turn, said that the investigation would take several weeks.
CNN reported that the crashed helicopter was a Eurocopter EC225 "Super Puma." The Eurocopter EC225 is a long-range civilian transport helicopter capable of carrying up to 24 passengers.
