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| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| Attack 'may have caused' Spanish Helo Crash in Afghanistan |
| 2005-08-17 |
| MADRID (AFP) - A helicopter crash that killed 17 Spanish troops in western Afghanistan may have been the result of an attack, Spanish Defence Minister Jose Bono said, qualifying an earlier statement which said it was an accident. The defence ministry at first believed "it must have been an accident, but on seeing pictures (from the crash site), an attack by a third party can absolutely not be ruled out," Bono told reporters, adding that the causes of the crash "have not been established with certainty." The aircraft, a Cougar, came down at 11:01 am local time (0701 GMT) in the province of Herat, "a very mountainous region, although the impact occurred on flat ground," where an emergency landing should have been possible, Bono said. "That explains why we have not ruled out the possibility of an attack." The dead servicemen were part of an 850-member Spanish contingent that makes up part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The ISAF is charged with peacekeeping as the country prepares for next month's legislative polls, the first since the fall of the Taliban regime in late 2001. Among the 17 dead, eleven were privates and the highest-ranking officer was a captain. The Spanish defence minister confirmed that five other Spanish troops flying in a second helicopter, which made a crash landing when the first one went down, were injured. Those aboard the second aircraft "saw a column of black smoke, and thinking there had been an attack from the ground, made an emergency landing," Bono said, ruling out suggestions that the two helicopters might have collided. Bono also said he would be travelling immediately to the crash site to "contribute to the identification" of the victims... Following the announcement of the military deaths, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer issued a statement in Brussels offering his condolences to the Spanish authorities and people. The Spanish crew of the downed helicopters were part of the 4th airborne battalion based in Seville, and the infantrymen aboard were with the 22nd regiment of Light Infantry Airborne, a source close to the NATO peacekeeping force told AFP. This is the second major loss for Madrid's contingent in Afghanistan. In May 2003, 62 Spanish peacekeepers died when an obsolete Ukrainian Yak-42 plane bringing them home crashed in Turkey. |
| Posted by:Pappy |
| #2 If it was an attack, expect the Spanish to execute a early withdraw. They may be trying to create the impression of an attack in order to justify an early withdrawal. I'm not in great sympathy with the current Spanish Government. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2005-08-17 16:24 |
| #1 If it was an attack, expect the Spanish to execute a early withdraw. |
| Posted by: Angart Whereling4308 2005-08-17 10:18 |