KAZAN, May 2 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's emergencies ministry said that engine failure is the suspected cause of a Mi-2 helicopter ambulance crash that occurred on Saturday in Kazan, Russia's Tatarstan republic.

"According to preliminary information, after take off at 700-800 meters one of the engines failed. Following an emergency landing the crew and doctor quickly got out of the craft and a safe distance from the crash site. No one was injured or killed as a result of the crash landing," the emergencies ministry said.

Earlier it was reported that the two pilots and doctor, who were on board the helicopter ambulance had been hospitalized with various injuries.

"A Mi-2 helicopter crashed at 11:45 Moscow time [07:45 GMT] several minutes after it took off," the spokesman said following the initial crash report.

The helicopter was carrying two pilots and a doctor.

He said that the helicopter had burst into flames shortly after crashing onto wasteland on the outskirts of Kazan, adding that an air accident investigation had been launched to establish the cause of the crash.