Ankara, Turkey

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Four people lost their lives in southwest Turkey on Sunday (December 22), when an ambulance helicopter crashed after colliding with a hospital building during take-off.

The helicopter was departing from the roof of the Mugla Training and Research Hospital and was carrying two pilots, a doctor, and a medical staff member, according to a statement from the health ministry.

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"The helicopter fell to the ground after having struck the fourth storey of a hospital during take-off," Mugla Governor Idris Akbiyik said. The crash resulted in the deaths of all four on board—the two pilots, the doctor, and the medical worker.

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"There was intense fog," Akbiyik added, saying that investigations into the cause of the accident are underway.

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As per an AFP report, helicopter was en route to Antalya when it took off under poor visibility conditions. Video posted by NTV showed the aircraft drifting in the fog for several minutes after take-off before crashing into an empty field adjacent to the hospital it hit.

Debris from the crash was seen scattered around the site, with footage showing emergency teams and ambulances responding to the scene.

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This comes less than two weeks after another helicopter accident in Turkey’s Isparta province, where six soldiers died when two military helicopters collided during a training exercise.

Five soldiers were killed on the spot, while one died due to injuries in hospital. The defence ministry has yet to disclose the cause of that incident.

(With inputs from agencies)