Chechnya crash: Dozens feared dead

A giant Mi-26 Russian helicopter at Bagram air base, Afghanistan, in April

MOSCOW, Russia -- Dozens of Russian soldiers and crew are feared dead after a military helicopter crash-landed in Chechnya amid indications that a fire had broken out in one of the engines.

Confusion surrounds Monday's incident but it appears the helicopter, one of the largest transport helicopters in the world, came down at Khankala airport near the capital Grozny at 5 p.m. local time (1400 GMT).

Early indications were that 112 passengers and five crew were onboard, but this was later downgraded to 85 by Boris Podoprigora, a spokesman for the military in Chechnya.

The Russian Ministry of Defence later said 132 people had been on board the Mi-26, but would not say how many had died. A source told CNN that about 30 had been rescued and taken to hospital but that it was likely all the rest on board had perished.

CNN NewsPass VIDEO CNN's Jill Dougherty says the crew reported a loud bang coming from the right engine of the military transport as it prepared to land (August 19) Play video

Some reports said 10 soldiers had been killed while early ministry of defence figures had indicated only a handful had been injured.

One complication was that the helicopter pad was surrounded by minefields making any rescue operation difficult.

Defence Ministry spokesman Nikolay Deryabin told state-run ORT television the helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing after a warning light indicated a fire had broken out in the engine.

The pilot immediately brought the craft down for a hard landing.

"The pilot of the Mi-26 said that according to his instruments there was a fire in one of the engines, and he asked for an emergency landing," Deryabin told ORT.

Interfax news agency, citing unnamed military sources, said the helicopter was shot down by rebels and 10 were dead.

Conflicting reports also surround the cause of the accident. Chechen rebels are claiming responsibility, saying they shot it down.

No other details were available but Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a full investigation.

Russian forces have struggled to completely subdue the Caucasian province of Chechnya despite a massive military occupation since the late 1990s intended to stamp out separatism.

Clashes regularly erupt between Russian troops and Chechen rebels.

Russian has suffered six helicopter crashes in the region during the past year.

-- CNN Moscow Bureau Chief Jill Dougherty contributed to this report