This story was updated at 1:45 p.m. ET with new information.
A United Nations helicopter on a routine cargo flight crashed in South Sudan, the U.N. Mission in South Sudan said on Tuesday. A South Sudan government spokesman told The Associated Press that it appears the aircraft was shot down.
Three crew members died in the incident, the UN Mission said.
“I wish to convey my heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and wish a full and
speedy recovery to the injured crew member,” said Toby Lanzer, the officer-in-charge of the mission.
"Three crew dead, one injured in UNMISS helicopter crash in Unity State." For full text of Press Release click here: http://t.co/0AmOelGTyU— Toby Lanzer (@tobylanzer) August 26, 2014
The helicopter, an MI-8, went down less than 10 miles south of Bentiu, Unity State, in northern South Sudan.
The region is hotly contested between the government and rebels. The government spokesman blamed rebels for shooting down the helicopter.
South Sudan has seen widespread violence between rebels and the national army since December. Thousands of South Sudanese have been killed in the conflict and at least 1.5 million civilians have been displaced by war.
“We have two parents who won’t stop fighting,” Adam, a 28-year-old community organizer, told Mashable in July, referring to the country’s two opposing leaders, South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar, the former vice president. “How they’re fighting doesn’t make any sense,” Adam said.
“What are [they] going to do? Just kill all [the] kids?”
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The Associated Press and Anna Therese Day contributed to this report.