UPDATE1 -- UN helicopter crashes in South Sudan, killing 3

USPA News - A large United Nations (UN) helicopter crashed in the volatile northern region of South Sudan on Tuesday afternoon, killing three crew members and injuring a fourth, the UN mission there said. The cause of the crash was not immediately known.

The incident happened at about 2:28 p.m. local time when the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) lost contact with one of its Mi-8 helicopters, which was on a routine cargo flight from the city of Wau in northwestern South Sudan to the oil town of Bentiu in northern Unity State. The aircraft crashed about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) south of Bentiu. UNMISS said three crew members were killed in the crash while one surviving crew member was receiving treatment from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Bentiu. It did not specify whether the victims were United Nations employees or if they were working for a company contracted by the UN. "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 UNMISS. A statement from the mission said it had launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash, but did not comment on media reports that claimed the aircraft may have been shot down. South Sudan, which became the world`s newest country when it broke away from Sudan in 2011, has witnessed widespread violence between rebels and government forces since an apparent coup attempt in December 2013. A fresh ceasefire deal was signed by leaders on Monday in the hopes of ending the conflict that has left thousands of people killed.