Helicopter crash kills 2 Dutch UN peacekeepers in Mali

Two United Nations peacekeepers from the Netherlands have died in a helicopter crash in northern Mali.

Local sources said the military Apache helicopter gunship, carrying the two Dutch soldiers serving with the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), crashed near Gao on Tuesday.

The two crew members were first alive but died shortly after the crash due to sever injuries sustained in the crash.

The Associated Press quoted a MINUSMA commander as saying that the copter had not been attacked, but it had performed a forced landing due to unknown reasons.

The dead men have been named as 26-year-old 1st Lt Ernst Mollinger and 30-year-old Capt Rene Zeetsen by the Dutch Defense Ministry.

More than 40 UN peacekeepers have died in Mali since the UN group received its mandate back in 2013.

Around 670 Dutch soldiers have been deployed by the Netherlands to Mali to work with MINUSMA in the African state on the ground.

Dozens of countries have contributed military personnel to serve in the mission.