All twelve passengers and crew were killed when a U.S. military helicopter crashed late last night in northern Iraq, said the U.S. military today. The cause of the crash is being investigated, it said.
A search team located the wreckage of the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter at about noon today local time, 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) from Tal Afar, according to a statement received by e- mail from the U.S.-led Multi-National Task Force in Iraq.
The identities of the deceased and details of their military units are being withheld until family members have been informed, the military said.
A total of 1,712 members of the U.S. military have been killed in action in Iraq since the March 2003 invasion up to Jan. 5, according to the Department of Defense. Including those who have died from other causes, such as illness and vehicle accidents, the death toll is 2,181.
U.S.-led coalition forces are fighting insurgents groups including those linked to al-Qaeda, which want to disrupt reconstruction efforts and undermine efforts to build a democratic, elected government in Iraq. |