MOSCOW (AP) An official in Russia's air transportation agency is telling local news agencies that a helicopter crash at NATO's largest base in southern Afghanistan has killed 15 people.

NATO and U.S. officials did not immediately confirm the death toll.

Interfax and RIA Novosti say the Russian-made Mi-8 helicopter crashed on takeoff. Interfax says there were 17 people on board and that two survived the crash.

Both agencies are citing an unidentified source in the Federal Air Transport Agency.

U.S. military spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Christine Sidenstricker said there was no indication that insurgent fire was behind the crash. No other details were immediately released.

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