Hanoi, Apr 6 (IANS): A helicopter with five Vietnamese people on board crashed in sea, leaving two dead and three others missing, state media reported.

After the crash of the Bell 505 helicopter of the state-owned Northern Vietnam Helicopter Company with a pilot and four tourists, who were taking an aerial tour of the World Heritage site of Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh, on board, rescue teams of border guards and military personnel found two bodies alongside pieces of fuselage, Vietnam News Agency reported on Wednesday.

The helicopter took off at 4:56 p.m. local time and lost radio signal at 5:15 p.m. The rescue teams are still searching for the three missing people, Vietnam News Agency quoted the Vietnamese Ministry of Defence as saying on Wednesday night.

Teams from relevant agencies, including border guard and transport have gone to the sea area to search for the victims, Xinhua news agency reported.

The five-seat helicopter was often used for tourism purposes, according to Vietnamese media.