Two Dutch airmen dead in Mali helicopter crash - officials

17/03/2015 - 20:41

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Two Dutch airmen died after an Apache attack helicopter serving with the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali crashed in the north of the country on Tuesday afternoon, Dutch officials said.

The 30-year-old captain Rene Zeetsen was killed in the crash, while the 26-year-old first lieutenant Ernst Mollinger died later in a field hospital in Gao from his wounds, the head of the Dutch forces, Tom Middendorp, told a news conference.

The Netherlands has been involved in the U.N. mission since last year. Its armed forces have contributed four Apaches and three Chinook transport helicopters.

(Reporting By Thomas Escritt; editing by John Stonestreet)