DUSHANBE, October 19, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Khaybullo Latipov, the head of the Committee for Emergency Situations and Civil Defense (CES) told reporters in Dushanbe today that Tajik rescuers are continuing the search operation for the bodies of six servicemen of the Alpha special operations unit that apparently fell into river after the National Guard helicopter went down in Rasht district on October 6.

Latipov, however, added that it could not be ruled out that some of them were still alive.

According to him, the bodies of 17 servicemen of the National Guard and the State Committee for National Security (Alpha special unit) were found on October 6 and the bodies of three other servicemen of the Alpha unit were found later.

“At first we were searching along the Khingob River but over past three days, our rescuers have been searching for them in the river itself,” the CES head said.