NEW DELHI, Oct 2, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - A private helicopter crashed in western India on Wednesday, killing three people on board, a fire official said.

The chopper burst into flames in hilly terrain after crashing on the outskirts of Pune city, southeast of financial hub Mumbai, at around 6:45 am (0115 GMT).

Two pilots and an engineer died in the crash, chief fire officer Devendra Potphode told reporters.

"When we reached the spot, we saw that the chopper had crashed and all its parts were scattered," he said.

"We were able to extract three casualties, and these were handed over to the police."

The helicopter had been chartered by the opposition Nationalist Congress Party and was headed to Mumbai.

While the cause of the crash has not yet been identified, local media reports said there was dense fog in the area at the time.