Helicopter carrying police officers crashes in Turkey's Tunceli

A police helicopter carrying 12 people crashed in the eastern province of Tunceli on April 18, the local governor's office has said, adding that the crash may have been caused by poor weather conditions.

The helicopter was carrying a judge, seven police officers, one sergeant and three crew members, the Tunceli Governor's Office said in a statement.
    
Heavy fog in the region made the rescue operation difficult, Turkish media reports said.

Contact with helicopter was lost at 11:30 a.m., according to officials.

Teams of Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) were dispatched to the mountainous area between the districts of Ovacık and Pülümür to participate in search efforts.

The helicopter crashed onto a rural area that is of 2,500 kilometers altitude between the Çambulak and Kocatepe villages, according to AFAD. 

Turkish Prime Minster Binali Yıldırım was informed by Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu about the crash.  

One of the crew members called 112, the emergency line, to ask for help, saying that seven people were wounded.