26/01/2005

31 Marines killed in helicopter crash in Iraq

31 US Marines were reportedly killed in the early hours of this morning when their CH-53 Sea Stallion transport helicopter came down near Ar Rutbah in western Iraq.

Indications are that there were no survivors of the crash, which initial investigations suggest may have been as a result of a mechanical failure or bad weather conditions rather than ground fire.

The crash has claimed the lives of more US military personnel than any other single incident since the invasion of Iraq in March 2003.

(GB)

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