Helicopter mishap in Afghanistan injures members of Turkish reconstruction team

Helicopter mishap in Afghanistan injures occupants

KABUL, Afghanistan — A helicopter operated by a Turkish reconstruction team made a “hard landing” in central Afghanistan on Tuesday, injuring at least two people.

The helicopter experienced technical problems as it tried to land at a base in Midan Shar, the capital of Wardak province, said the provincial deputy police chief, Mirzak Khan. It hit a hill as it was coming down and rolled over, he said.

There were conflicting accounts about the number of people hurt in the crash. Khan said three of the helicopter’s four occupants were injured, including the pilot.

But a spokesman for the international force in Afghanistan, Maj. Ismail Meric, said only two people were hurt.

Provincial reconstruction teams headed by different countries operate throughout Afghanistan and are composed of military officers, diplomats and development experts.