A military helicopter crashed when it was about to land on an island off Binh Thuan Province on March 26 but all men all board, including four crew members and four search and rescue workers, walked out alive.

Five of them were taken to the hospital of Phu Quy Island with non-life threatening injuries.

The Mi-8, a Soviet-era medium twin-turbine helicopter, crashed at 9:15 a.m. just outside Phu Quy airport. The tail boom separated from the fuselage.

Doctor Bui Dinh Linh, Director of Phu Quy District Hospital, said the Air Force Command is expected to bring the crew back to the mainland on same day.

A source said the helicopter was flying from the neighboring Ninh Thuan Province and on a search and rescue mission.

The cause of the accident is being investigated.

Some photos at the scene taken by Vietnamnet: