A video that surfaced on social media showed a helicopter struggling in dense fog moments before crashing near a hospital in southwestern Turkey on Sunday, claiming four lives.
Watch the video here:
The victims included two pilots, a doctor, and an onboard employee, according to Mugla provincial governor Idris Akbiyik.
As per reports, the helicopter had departed from the rooftop of Mugla’s hospital in poor visibility, heading to Antalya, when the accident occurred during take-off. The footage, also aired by NTV television, showed the aircraft drifting unsteadily in the fog before plummeting into an empty field close to the hospital.
The crash, which has been attributed to adverse weather conditions, adds to a string of aviation tragedies in Turkey. Less than two weeks earlier, six soldiers lost their lives in Isparta province after two military helicopters collided during a training exercise. The defence ministry has yet to release details on the cause of that incident.
Local authorities have launched an investigation into the Mugla crash, emphasising the risks posed by dense fog in the region.
