A military helicopter perished in Eastern Turkey today, killing nine soldiers and injuring another four, the Turkish Ministry of Defense reports.

The Cougar helicopter perished in a rural area not far from Tatvan city of Bitlis. The helicopter had headed towards Tatvan from Bingol, and the authorities lost contact with the pilot at 2:25 p.m.

The Ministry of Defense says the incident is an accident, but the reason for the accident remains unclear.

HaberTurk reports that the helicopter got lost due to unfavorable climate, including snow and fog.