The Mexican Navy announced on Wednesday the crash of a Panther-type helicopter in the state of Michoacán, due to which three passengers were killed and the fate of two others is unknown.

According to the announcement, the accident occurred under unclear circumstances shortly after the aircraft launched from a warship about 200 nautical miles (370 km) southwest of Lasaro Cardenas port.

Three of the eight passengers were found alive. Two men and a woman were killed, while the search for two missing persons is underway.

The Eurocopter AS565 Panther is the military version of the Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin medium-weight twin-engine helicopter. The Panther is used for a wide range of missions, including maritime security, search and rescue (SAR), casualty evacuation (CASEVAC), special forces operations, anti-submarine warfare, and anti-surface warfare.

In its transport configuration, the Panther can carry up to 10 fully-armed soldiers, in addition to the two pilots. The main cabin can be quickly reconfigured to perform various roles such as troop transport, SAR, and MEDIVAC missions.

Also read: EU | “ASPIDES” operation launches