HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — A Vietnamese official on Tuesday raised the death toll to 18 from a military helicopter crash that happened close to the capital on a parachute training mission, adding three others were being treated for serious injuries.
The Russian-made MI-171 helicopter came down Monday morning about 15 minutes after takeoff in a small village about 24 miles (40 kilometers) west of Hanoi.
The official did not give his name because he wasn't authorized to speak to the media.
Reports in the state-controlled media said 16 of those on board were parachute recruits from the air force's helicopter regiment. There were also two trainers and three crew members on board.
The MI-171 helicopter is primarily a transport aircraft, but there is also a gunship version.
Vietnam buys most of its military hardware from Russia, the country's cold war ally. Some of it dates back more than 20 years.