Deadly Helicopter Crash As Volcano Erupts Indonesia

A rescue helicopter carrying eight people
has crashed while on the way to help
evacuate residents near an active
volcano at a popular tourist destination
in Indonesia.



All of the people on the aircraft - four navy
officers and four rescuers - were killed
when it reportedly hit a cliff on Butak
Mountain in the Temanggung district of
Central Java province.



It came down just minutes before it was
due to arrive at Dieng Plateau, where the
Sileri Crater had been spewing cold lava,
mud and ash as high as 164ft (50 metres)
into the air since erupting on Sunday
morning.




Amateur footage of the eruption tweeted
by the Indonesian National Agency for
Disaster Management showed panic on
the streets as people fled the area in cars,
on their motorbikes and on foot - against
the backdrop of a cascade of volcanic ash.



Emergency services and the military were
deployed to the scene following the
sudden eruption of the volcano while up
to 17 visitors were around the crater.



Residents and tourists have been
evacuated from the area after around 10
people were injured and needed hospital
treatment.




Brigadier General Ivan Tito, of the National
Search and Rescue Agency, told TVOne
station the Indonesian-made Dauphin
AS365 helicopter was airworthy.




Sileri last erupted in 2009, when it
unleashed volcanic materials up to 656ft
(200 metres) high and triggered the
creation of three new craters.