All 13 servicemen onboard the Kazakh Defense Ministry’s helicopter that crashed on Wednesday, March 27 in the country’s south, have been killed, the ministry said, according to TASS.

"Thirteen servicemen who were onboard died when a helicopter of Kazakhstan’s Armed Forces crashed during drills on March 27," it said, offering condolences to the relatives and friends of the killed troops.

According to Kazakhstan’s Interior Ministry’s Emergencies Committee, the Mi-8 helicopter crashed in the Zhalagash district in the Kyzylorda Region in southern Kazakhstan.

The helicopter crashed and caught fire. The incident occurred when the crew were performing drills in the dark and in difficult meteorological conditions.