Mexican military helicopter crashes in the country’s north killing 3 crew members

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Defense officials say an armed forces helicopter has crashed in the northern Mexico state of Durango, killing three military personnel. The Defense Department said Friday the crash happened Thursday as the helicopter was flying to a base in the township of Canelas. The crash killed all three crew members aboard. The area is a drug-producing region known as the Golden Triangle, because the borders of three states meet there: Durango, Chihuahua and Sinaloa. Helicopters are often used by the Mexican armed forces in anti-drug and eradication efforts in the area. But it was unclear what the mission was of the craft involved in the Thursday crash.