Turkish military chopper disappears from radar

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

Security officials have launched a search-and-rescue operation in Kartepe to locate the aircraft. DHA Photo

A Turkish military helicopter has lost contact with its base near Istanbul, officials said Oct. 12.

The chopper was flying over the rocky and mountainous region of the northwestern province of Kocaeli, above the Kartepe district of the province, when it lost connection with its base.

There are concerns that the helicopter may have crashed.

Security officials have launched a search-and-rescue operation to locate the aircraft, which include an airplane and four search-and-rescue helicopters that belong to the Naval and Air Forces. Gendarmerie ground forces are also contributing to the search on the chopper’s route.

Meanwhile the Turkish General Staff said in a written statement that the chopper took off from the Cengiz Topel Military Airport in Kocaeli at 12:18 p.m. and connection was lost with the chopper at 12:25 p.m. The chopper was heading toward the central Anatolian province of Konya for training purposes.