KIEV (AFP) - - A helicopter crashed into a Black Sea offshore energy platform and blew up on Monday, killing 19 people, a spokesman for Ukrainian gas company Naftogaz told AFP.
"The helicopter crashed on a platform and exploded" 70 kilometres (43 miles) off the Black Sea coast, spokesman Valentin Zemlyanksy told AFP. "19 people died and one survived."
The crash occurred at around 9:00 am Kiev time (0600 GMT) when the helicopter's tail hit the platform, Zemlyanksy said. He said pilot error appeared to be the cause.
Designed as a workhorse for military and civilian purposes, the Mi-8 helicopter can carry up to 28 people.
Around 11,000 have been produced since the model was first launched in 1965, according to Moscow's Mil helicopter factory.
A Mi-8 operated by the Ukrainian border guard service crashed over the Black Sea last month killing 12 people.
