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Fifth U.S. ‘copter down in Iraq in 18 days

Wednesday, 02. 7. 2007  –  Category: News

Fifth U.S. ‘copter down in Iraq in 18 days

BAGHDAD, Feb. 7 (UPI) — The U.S. military confirmed Wednesday a twin-rotor Sea Knight transport helicopter crashed northwest of Baghdad, the fifth in 18 days.

“We have a CH-46 that is down,” 20 miles northwest of the capital, U.S. military spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell told reporters.

He said a quick reaction force had reached the site, and refused to say whether technical problems or insurgent fire from the ground was the cause of the crash, a New York Times correspondent reported.

“It would be inappropriate for me to talk about casualties,” he said.

Since Jan. 20, three U.S. military helicopters and one civilian craft have gone down, and 16 U.S. troops have died in the military crashes, CNN said.

Tuesday, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Peter Pace told the Senate Armed Services Committee it was too early to tell if insurgents had come up with a new anti-aircraft strategy.

“I do not know whether or not it is the law of averages that caught up with us or if there’s been a change in tactics, techniques and procedures on the part of the enemy,” Pace told the committee.

Source: United Press International - News. Analysis. Insight. - NewsTrack - Top News

Chinook ‘may be down’ in Iraq

A Chinook helicopter has two crew members and can carry up to 55 22 passengers [EPA]

The US military said it was investigating reports that an aircraft might have crashed or made an emergency landing near Baghdad.

Witnesses in the area just north of Baghdad told Reuters they saw a Chinook helicopter come down amid gunfire from the ground in a field in the Sheik Amir area northwest of Baghdad, on Wednesday.

The incident took place in a Sunni-dominated area between the Taji air base 20km north of Baghdad, and Garma, 30km to the west of the capital.

Source: Al Jazeera English - Middle East

Tags: Baghdad