A helicopter belonging to the German military crashed into the Mulde River in Saxony on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Air Force said.
There are no reports yet about possible deaths or injuries, the Leipzig District Fire Brigade said.
The helicopter was reportedly on a training flight and an investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing.
According to air traffic control, the helicopter disappeared from radar between 10:00-10:30 am, the local fire brigade said.
Paddlers in the river informed police around 11:30 am that they had seen helicopter parts in the water, a police spokesperson said.
Federal, state, and water police are currently on scene and divers have also been called in, but emergency crews say accessing the wreck of the helicopter is difficult.
Large quantities of kerosene leaked into the river around the site of the wreck, prompting 50 emergency personnel to contain the leak before the salvage operation could begin.
The Bundeswehr has set up a restricted military zone around the crash site, a police spokesperson said.
