Seven killed in Qatar helicopter crash due to technical malfunction, Qatari and Turkish authorities say

CAIRO, March 22 (Reuters) – Seven people have been killed in a helicopter ​crash in Qatar’s ‌territorial waters, Qatar and Turkey said on Sunday.

The Qatari and Turkish defence ministries ‌said ​the helicopter ⁠had crashed after ⁠suffering a technical malfunction, which the Qatari ministry said was during “routine duty”.

Four ​of those killed were Qatari armed forces ⁠personnel, one ⁠was from the Qatar-Turkey ​joint forces and two ​were technicians, the Turkish and ‌Qatari defence ministries said.

“Military cooperation and coordination activities between the Republic ⁠of Turkey and the State of Qatar continue uninterrupted within ⁠the ‌framework of existing ⁠agreements and plans,” ​the ‌Turkish defence ministry said.

(Reporting ​by Jaidaa ⁠Taha, Menna Alaa El-Din, Muhammad Al Gebaly and Tuvan Gumrukcu. Editing by Elaine Hardcastle and Jane ​Merriman)