Cambodian military helicopter crashes, killing 5

Rescue workers try to salvage parts of a Cambodian military helicopter which crashed on the outskirts of Phnom Penh July 14, 2014.[Photo/Agencies]

PHNOM PENH - A Cambodian military helicopter crashed on the outskirts of capital of Cambodia on Monday morning, killing 5 military personnel and seriously injured one another, a senior police confirmed.

The accident happened at 9:30 a.m. in Dangkor district on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. The military helicopter carrying six trainee-air forces crashed into a pond, said Chuon Narin, deputy police chief of Phnom Penh Municipality.

"Five died and one seriously injured when the chopper exploded and crashed into the pond," he told Xinhua over telephone after the accident.

"All the victims are military personnel who were on training."

He said he did not know what caused the explosion as an investigation is underway.

According to Chuon Narin, the crashed chopper was a Chinese- made Zhi-9 (Z-9) utility helicopter.