KABUL, June 1: The wreckage of a helicopter that had been chartered by the Red Cross and disappeared over Afghanistan in January is believed to have been found atop a snow-capped mountain, an official said Thursday.

The Russian-made Mi-8 transport chopper disappeared after taking off from Peshawar. It had been chartered by the International Committee of the Red Cross to ferry supplies to victims of the October 8 earthquake.

It had seven people on board, employees of Turkmenistan Airlines, which operated the aircraft.

Nomadic shepherds spotted the wreckage in Kapisa province and reported it to local authorities, said an official.

He said authorities had flown over the crash site and spotted the wreckage, which was largely intact.—AP