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Monday, June 3, 2002 - Web posted at 11:43:25 am GMT

LUANDA, June 3 (Reuters) - The Angolan Armed Forces said on Monday that 20 people were killed when a military helicopter crashed on Sunday.

"The bodies of the victims will be brought to Luanda on Monday," the statement said. It did not say if anyone had survived the crash. Local media said there were 25 passengers on board the flight.

The military said the helicopter, an Mi-17, went down in bad weather. It was previously reported to have been Mi8 helicopter.

A presidential spokesman told Reuters on Sunday the crash occurred near the Kwanza North city of Ndalatando, about 200 km (125 miles) east of Luanda, the capital of the southwest African nation.

Among the dead were Lieutenant-General Jose Domingues Ngueto, the commander of the Kwanza-Bengo region, several other officers and four local journalists.

The helicopter was reported to be on its way to a remote town for the symbolic surrender of arms held by UNITA rebels. Angola's armed forces and the rebels signed a ceasefire in April aimed at ending a brutal 27-year-old civil war. Nampa-Reuters

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