Copter Crash Kills Finnish Peacekeepers, Canadian Pilot
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SKOPJE, Macedonia — Three Finnish U.N. peacekeepers and their Canadian civilian pilot died when their helicopter struck a power line Saturday, Macedonian television reported.
It said the helicopter’s rotor blade struck the cable, there was an explosion and the aircraft plunged into Mavrovo Lake about 12 miles south of the border dividing Macedonia, the Serbian-ruled province of Kosovo and Albania.
Earlier, Finland’s STT news agency said all three passengers--a major, a captain and a U.N. battalion’s female dentist--as well as the pilot died when the helicopter crashed. Two bodies were found.
The Finns were among 360 engaged in a U.N. operation with the pan-Nordic battalion.
The Finnish Defense Ministry named the dead as Maj. Risto Vuori, Capt. Tapani Kulmala and dentist Kaisa Arvola, STT said.
STT said the cause of the crash was unclear.
Macedonian television said an investigation was underway and rescuers were trying to locate the remains of the other victims.
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