Turkish authorities deployed several rescue teams to the presumed crash area in the province of Tunceli, after the helicopter vanished from the radar on Tuesday. The crew stopped responding 10 minutes after takeoff from the town of Pulumur.

The police helicopter was carrying 12 people, including seven police officers, a judge, a soldier, and three crew members. Turkey's interior minister, Suleyman Soylu, later said that all 12 had died in the crash. One of the people on board managed to phone for help, according the Turkish Dogan news agency.

Authorities speculate that bad weather caused the incident.

"It is being assessed that the helicopter crashed due to adverse weather conditions," the governor's office said in a statement.

Rescue teams were also slowed down by heavy fog, according to Turkish media.

dj/msh (AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa)