The helicopter crash that killed Sudan's Vice-President John Garang in July does not appear to have been caused by any technical malfunction aboard the Russian-built military aircraft. According to top expert Rudolf Temurazov, who is involved in the crash investigation, "there was no technical problem with the helicopter itself". Speaking to journalists in Moscow, Temurazov – who is also director of technical security for the Moscow-based Interstate Aviation Committee – said "the helicopter was healthy". The vice-president and 13 other people died on 30 July when the Ugandan presidential Mi-172 helicopter taking them back to southern Sudan from neighbouring Uganda crashed. Suspicion over the facts surrounding Garang's death sparked violence between northern and southern Sudanese, leaving at least 130 people dead and prompting Khartoum to form a national committee to investigate the crash with international experts.