WASHINGTON: All personnel aboard a US military helicopter carrying Americanservice members were killed in a crash in western Iraq, the US CentralCommand said on Friday.
Central Command did not say how many people were killed in the crash lateon Thursday. A US military official told Reuters on Thursday the US HH-60Pave Hawk helicopter was carrying seven people.
The crash, which did not appear to be the result of enemy activity, isunder investigation, the command said in a statement.
“All personnel aboard were killed in the crash,” said Brigadier GeneralJonathan P. Braga, director of operations of the Combined Joint Task Force.“This tragedy reminds us of the risks our men and women face every day inservice of our nations.”
The military said a second accompanying American helicopter immediatelyreported the crash and Iraqi security forces and coalition members securedthe area.
Two US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity and citing initialreports, said on Thursday the aircraft crashed near al-Qaim, a town inAnbar province close to the Syrian border.
The United States says it has about 5,200 troops in Iraq that are part of acoalition fighting Daesh militants. – Agencies