Eight UN peacekeepers killed in helicopter crash in DR Congo

Eight people were on board a UN helicopter that crashed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday amid rebel fighting, the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo said.

They included six crew members from the Pakistani military and two military personnel – one from Russia and one from Serbia, the mission, known as MONUSCO, said in a statement. It did not say whether there were any survivors.

Pakistan’s army said that all eight people had died, and gave the names of the pilot and crew. Pakistan has deployed an aviation unit to the UN mission in Congo since 2011, it said.