MOSCOW. April 10 (Interfax) - A Mil Mi-24 helicopter crashed at around 6 a.m. on Wednesday while on a scheduled flight over the Black Sea near western Crimea, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"The preliminary cause of the crash is mechanical failure," the ministry said.
"A search-and-rescue party is working at the crash scene," it said.
The Mi-24 Crocodile transport military helicopter is designed to enhance the firepower and mobility of ground forces. Its serial production began in 1971. The helicopter has been exported to over 30 countries and is one of the most widely used attack helicopters in the world.