At least two people died when a German army helicopter crashed into a river near the eastern town of Grimma on Tuesday, according to Defence Minister Boris Pistorius. One person went missing.
The Defence Ministry reported that the helicopter went down during a test flight. Air Force Commander Holger Neumann described it as a dark day for his troops.
Neumann said the highly experienced crew had taken off at 9.00 a.m. for a training flight.
A military security zone was established at the crash site, where the Bundeswehr has been conducting rescue efforts and preliminary investigations.
According to a spokesperson for the Leipzig district fire association, the helicopter vanished between 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Around noon, paddlers discovered debris in the River Mulde, into which a significant amount of kerosene had leaked.
The fire echange spokesperson explained that the wreckage was located in the middle of the river and was difficult to access. Emergency crews were working to contain the kerosene spill, the spokesperson added.
Pistorius said about 200 emergency personnel were on site by Tuesday evening.
Grimma is situated about 25 kilometres from Leipzig.
