22/08/2007

US Helicopter Crash Kills 14 In Iraq

Fourteen US soldiers have been killed in a helicopter crash in northern Iraq.

The UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter came down overnight, killing all on board, in the worst incident of its kind in two years. A statement from the US military said that mechanical malfunction was the cause of the crash, and that an investigation is underway.

The statement said: "Two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters were on a night operation when one of the aircraft crashed. That helicopter had been carrying four crew members and 10 passengers."

"There were no indications of hostile fire," the statement added.

The exact location of the incident has yet to be released.

The crash follows an incident in January 2005, when 31 US soldiers were killed when their Marine transport helicopter went down in western Iraq.

A total of 63 US service personnel have died so far in August.

(CL)

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