A military helicopter crashed Friday on the runway at an air base in central Namibia's Grootfontein, killing four people on board and injured others.

Namibian Defense Ministry confirmed the accident in a statement.

The accident happened right after the helicopter had taken off. It then burst into flames on the runway.

The helicopter was on an official mission from Grootfontein to Windhoek, and the injured passengers were evacuated to Windhoek for medical attention, according to the ministry.

Previous reports said that a female pilot died on the spot while two passengers passed away due to serious wounds.

Located about 450 kilometers north of Windhoek in the Otjozondjupa Region, Grootfontein is a small city known to be the main air base of the country's air force.

The cause of the crash is yet to be investigated.