Ankara, Jul 16 (IANS): Seven security personnel were killed after a reconnaissance plane crashed in Turkey's Van province, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Thursday.
Soylu, who has arrived at the accident site, told reporters that the plane crashed on Mount Artos at an altitude of about 2,200 meters on late Wednesday, reports Xinhua news agency.
Investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash.
According to reports, the two pilots contacted the tower for the last time at 10.32 p.m. on Wednesday and then lost communications with the radar about 15 minutes later.
The 2015 model plane "was missioned for reconnaissance and surveillance" in Van and the neighbouring Hakkari province since Monday, Soylu said.
The remote Van province is located between Lake Van and the Iranian border.
In early February, two consecutive avalanches in the province's mountainous Bahcesaray area killed at least 41 people.