ALMATY -- A military helicopter has crashed in Kyzylorda Province, Kazakhstan, killing all 13 servicemen on board, said the Kazakh Defence Ministry Thursday (March 28).
The crash involving the Russian-made Mi-8 occurred Wednesday (March 27), the ministry said in a statement.
"13 servicemen were killed... while performing their military duty," it said.
Kazakhstan's new president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, tweeted that he had ordered an investigation into the crash.
The Mi-8 has been involved in a number of recent accidents. Last August, 18 people were killed in a crash in Siberia.
The families of the Kazakh personnel killed will receive compensation, said the Defence Ministry.