ANKARA - A military helicopter crashed in southeastern Turkey on Saturday, killing at least 17 people and wounding some others, a high-ranking official said.

The Sikorsky type military helicopter belonging to the Turkish gendarmerie crashed in Herekol Mountain in Pervari town of Siirt province Saturday morning, leaving 13 soldiers and four helicopter personnel dead, Siirt Governor Ahmet Aydin was quoted as saying by private Dogan news agency.

The wounded were sent to hospitals for treatment, said Aydin, adding that an investigation into the crash was underway.