Rescue workers and fire fighters have been dispatched to a hill in Muang district of Thailand’s eastern province of Rayong on Thursday night where an unidentified helicopter has crashed.

Flames could be seen against the pitch black sky from 6.35pm on the Khiri Mountain, where the chopper is believed to have crashed. The flames eventually faded.

It is not known how many people were on board the aircraft or whether there are any survivors. 

Army spokesman Colonel Win Thai Suvaree confirmed that the helicopter did not belong to any of the three armed forces, because military choppers do not normally fly at night.

The Ban Chang rescue unit said that it might belong to the US army, as its troops are now in Thailand to take part with the Thai military in the annual Cobra Gold exercises, running from Sunday until March 6^th.  

Reports from the Arupong radio centre say that the first rescue team is nearing the crash site, although the terrain is steep and very dark.