DHAKA, Oct 20: A training helicopter of the Bangladesh Air Force crashed on Saturday evening, killing four persons

The victims are Wing Commander Kazi Kamrul Newaz, 39, Flying Officer M. Sabbir Ahmed, 23, Warrant Officer Zahir Hossain, 40 and Sergeant Abdus Samad, 35.

According to the officials at the Air Force base in Chittagong, the helicopter collided with a tower of a television relay station at Ukhia, near the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, 200 kms south-east of Chittagong. The helicopter was on a training flight.

This was the second BAF copter accident in Chittagong in less than three months.

DPA ADDS: Witnesses said the helicopter lost altitude and hit a television tower in the town before breaking into bits and pieces and catching fire 45 minutes after taking off from Zahirul Huq Air Force Base in southern Chittagong city.