By Anusha Attygalle
Colombo - At least 13 people on board an air force helicopter, including Sri Lanka's shipping minister, were killed when it crashed in the central part of the country on Saturday, officials said.
"We have recovered 13 bodies from the crash, but there have been no positive identifications," Brigadier Sanath Karunaratne told reporters by phone.
The Russian-made MI-17 helicopter crashed into a hilltop in the remote Aranayake area of the Kegalle district, 70km north-east of the capital Colombo.
The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation quoted police officials in Aranayake as saying there were no survivors from the crash. It was not clear how many people were on board.
State radio earlier said the crashed helicopter was still ablaze and the bodies were charred beyond recognition.
The government's special media information centre said in a statement that the helicopter transporting Shipping Minister Mohammed Ashraff had lost radio contact when flying above Aranayake.
"The air force is currently investigating the reason for the crash," the Sinhala-language statement said.
The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have in the past shot down several air force helicopters and other aircraft.
Senior ministers are being transported by helicopters across the island to campaign in Sri Lanka's October 10 general elections.
Ashraff, a key ally of the ruling People's Alliance (PA) party, was travelling to the country's eastern Ampara district where his Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) is fielding candidates for the poll.
Analysts said his death could well affect the vote of Muslims, who make some 10 percent of the population.
"In Ampara, where Ashraff's SLMC is fielding candidates on its own, his death could generate a massive sympathy vote," said Jehan Perera, media director of the National Peace Council.
"But in the rest of country where the SLMC identity is diluted because its candidates are on the PA list, the Muslim vote could well go to the main opposition United National Party."
The LTTE are fighting for a separate Tamil state in Sri Lanka's north and east.
In February, two people were killed when a Sri Lanka air force Bell 212 helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing after coming under heavy fire from the guerrillas. - Reuters