The Nigerian Air Force has announced that its MI-171 Helicopter on casualty evacuation mission, on Monday, crashed at about 1.00 pm near Chukuba village in Niger.

The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

Gabkwet said the aircraft had departed Zungeru Primary School en route Kaduna but was later discovered to have crashed near Chukuba Village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger.

He said that efforts were on to rescue the crew and passengers on board the helicopter, while preliminary investigations have commenced to determine the cause of the crash.