Ivory Coast’s Defense Ministry said on Friday that a military helicopter with five people on board on a reconnaissance mission has gone missing.

A brief statement said the ministry has launched a search for the helicopter which is suspected to have crashed.

“A helicopter of the Ivorian army, on a reconnaissance mission on the northern border line, lost all contact with the control station, around 2 a.m., in the vicinity of Ferkessedougou,” the statement said.

The army has been battling armed militants in the north.