AP Photo/ Cem Bakırcı/Depo

– At least four Russian nationals were on board of a helicopter that crashed in an Istanbul suburb on Friday, Turkish NTV channel reports.

A fire-fighting helicopter has crashed near Istanbul on Friday. According to the local media reports, the incident occurred due to strong fog.

As a result, five people died, the head of the Buyukcekmece suburb said Friday.

“There is preliminary information that five bodies have been found. The helicopter fell directly on the road, there were no cars on the road. The fog is strong, absolutely nothing is visible,” Mayor Hasan Akgun said in a broadcast on Turkey’s NTV.

​A Sikorsky S-76 helicopter, registration number TC-HEZ, departed Istanbul Ataturk Airport and crashed near Büyükçekmej at 11:21 A.M. local time, the news agency DHA reported. According to DHA, there were 7 people aboard: 2 crew members and 5 passengers.