22:38, 21 December 2006

Helicopter kills two Chechnya residents

The law enforcement bodies of Chechnya are investigating the fact of perishing in the mountains of two residents of the Achkhoi-Martan District who were shot dead on Wednesday night in a dense forest 15 kilometres from the dwelling settlement Chozhi-Chu, the Chechnya's prosecution office informed.

A source in the administration of the Achkhoi-Martan District reported that "five persons were in the forest; allegedly, they were cutting the structures of a deserted oil well with the aim to procure metal scrap."

"In the version of the two surviving members of this group, they had to stay in the forest because their car failed, and at night they were swept from a helicopter. Two persons died at once from the wounds, then their bodies and injured Mr. Arsanukaev were taken away next morning by called up militiamen and local residents," the "Interfax" reports with a reference to the source.