Military helicopter disappears from radar in Kazakhstan

Tengrinews.kz - Search operations are underway in the Almaty region for a missing military helicopter, citing the Ministry of Defense.

On July 25, 2025, during a scheduled flight, an Airbus Helicopters H145 (formerly Eurocopter EC145) belonging to the Air Defense Forces of Kazakhstan’s Armed Forces disappeared from radar in the Almaty region.

"According to preliminary information, there were three crew members on board. Search and rescue operations are being conducted with the involvement of resources from the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Emergency Situations," the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

By order of the Minister of Defense, a special commission has been dispatched to the site to investigate the circumstances of the incident.

The Ministry noted that additional information will be provided as it becomes available.

What is known about Airbus Helicopters H145 in Kazakhstan

The H145 is a multipurpose twin-engine helicopter of European manufacture, used in Kazakhstan for both military and civilian purposes. Kazakhstan began receiving these helicopters in 2011 through cooperation with Airbus Helicopters. Assembly and maintenance are carried out by the joint venture Eurocopter Kazakhstan Engineering in Astana.

Dozens of H145 helicopters are in service with Kazakhstan’s Air Defense Forces and the Ministry of Emergency Situations. They are actively used for:

• medical evacuation and air ambulance services
• search and rescue missions
• territorial patrols and monitoring
• transportation of personnel and cargo
• operations in mountainous terrain and extreme weather conditions