DUSHANBE, February 13, 2012, Asia-Plus -- A transport helicopter has crashed in southern Afghanistan, killing all four onboard.

“The transport helicopter MI-8 belonged to Air Force of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Tajikistan and it had operated in Afghanistan since May 2011, shipping humanitarian cargo to Afghan mountain areas difficult of access,” a source at a MoD told Asia-Plus in an interview.

According to him, the accident took place in Zabul Province on February 11.  “As a result of the crash all four members of crew were killed,” said the source.  “Among them is the son of Major-General Vyacheslav Grudyno, Deputy Minister of Defense of Tajikistan.”

“The cause of the crash is under investigation,” said the source, “According to weather forecasters, there was a heavy storm in that area on February 11.”

Meanwhile, Radio Liberty reported on February 12 that Deputy Provincial Governor Mohammad Jon Rasolyar has told RFE/RL that the four dead -- three men and one woman -- were citizens from Tajikistan who were working for Supreme Food, a logistics company under contract to NATO.  He said the helicopter crashed due to bad weather and a “technical problem.”

Last year, two Tajik pilots of the Pamir Air company died in a plane crash in Afghanistan.