A helicopter carrying several Saudi officials, including a high-ranking prince, has crashed in the kingdom's southwest near the border with Yemen.

Prince Mansour bin Muqrin Al Saud, deputy governor of Asir province, was on a tour of local projects west of the city of Abha when the crash happened on Sunday evening.

The Saudi interior ministry said in a statement on Monday that the helicopter's wreckage had been found and an investigation was under way.

The cause of the crash is still unknown.

The Saudi-owned news channel Al Arabiya reported that Prince Mansour bin Muqrin died in the crash. Seven other officials were also reportedly killed.

The son of former Crown Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz, Prince Mansour bin Muqrin was appointed deputy governor of Asir province, which borders Yemen, earlier this year.

Videos posted on Twitter hours before the crash showed him carrying out an inspection of defense and environmental projects.

PHOTO CAPTION

Saudi Arabia map locating the city of Abha

Al-Jazeera