VietNamNet Bridge - Lt. Gen. Vo Van Tuan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, told VNE that technical problems caused the plane crash on Monday morning in which 16 soldiers were killed.

 Lt. Gen. Vo Van Tuan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff.

He added that, when the problems were detected, the flight crew tried to drive the helicopter far from the residential area. "The pilot controlled the aircraft far from houses to avoid further damage to the people," he said.

Sixteen soldiers died and five others were seriously injured. They are being treated at the the Central Burn Hospital. "This is a serious accident, that caused great loss," said the general.

The flight was part of a training course on search and rescue. Most of the people who died in the accident were experienced soldiers.

The general said the plane – a Mi171 – met safety conditions. He said the most urgent task at present is saving the five severely burned soldiers. The functional forces are investigating to determine the ultimate cause. Currently the National Institute of Burns is also in a state of blockade.

Field observations on Monday morning showed that the plane crashed near a residential area in Thach That district, destroying trees in a radius of about 10 m. The debris flew everywhere; flames and smoke still rose in some areas that were being blocked by military forces.

The helicopter took off from the Hoa Lac airport at 7:30am. At 7.46am on July 7, a Mi171 helicopter of the Helicopter Air Force Regiment 916 which was used for paratrooper training lost contact and crashed in the village of Hoa Lac, of Binh Yen commune, Thach That district, Hanoi, about 3 km from the Hoa Lac airport.

Four years ago, a one-seat Mig21 fighter jet of an air force division fell in Thach Da commune, Me Linh district, Hanoi. Fortunately, the pilot parachuted in time before the plane crashed.

Le Ha