Twelve people were killed when a Turkish police helicopter crashed in the eastern province of Tunceli on Tuesday, the local governor's office said, blaming the crash on poor weather conditions.

The helicopter was carrying a judge, seven police officers, one sergeant and three crew members, the Tunceli governor's office said in a statement.

Heavy fog in the region made the rescue operation for the Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk helicopter difficult, Turkish media reports said.