“A Niger Armed Forces MI-17 helicopter, returning from a routine training flight, crashed while landing on the military airstrip from Niamey airport,” the defense ministry said in a statement.

“Unfortunately, the three crew members - an officer and a non-commissioned officer from Niger, and an expatriate instructor - died on the spot despite the efforts of the emergency services to contain the fire,” the statement added.

The statement noted that “a commission of inquiry was set up to determine the causes of this tragic accident.”

The Mi-17 helicopter is a Soviet-designed Russian military helicopter family introduced in 1975, continuing in production as of 2021 at two factories, in Kazan and Ulan-Ude.

The helicopter is mostly used as a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter, as well as an armed gunship version. (ILKHA)