Article

2003-03-22 Iraq

Two British Navy Helicopters Collide, Crew s Missing

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Posted by Steve White 2003-03-22 08:37 am|| || Front Page|| [4 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Update: Seven dead (six UK crewmen, one US officer). Not search and rescue choppers, but EW:

The Ark Royal's Captain Alan Massey said the deaths were caused by a "tragic accident", five miles from the Royal Navy's flagship. The Sea King Airborne Early Warning aircraft crashed at around 4.15am local time (1.15 GMT) and the Royal Navy has launched an investigation into the cause of the accident. One of the helicopters had been going out on a mission from the Ark Royal, while the other was returning from the same operation. The collision happened over international waters in the Gulf on Saturday, UK Central Command in Qatar said.

The helicopters had been providing surveillance for missions involving British Royal Marines. Former Navy serviceman Michael McGinty, from the Royal United Services Institute, told BBC News the helicopters would probably be of the type known as "junglies".

Posted by Bulldog 2003-03-22 03:37:21|| 2003-03-22 03:37:21|| Front Page Top

#2 What is it with helicopters? It seems that 95% of the casualties on our side for the past five years were helicopter crashes. Are they really that unsafe, or is it the conditions they're flying under?

Posted by Crescend 2003-03-22 12:40:47|| 2003-03-22 12:40:47|| Front Page Top

#3 I'm not an expert, but it seems to be from : the nonstandard areas used for landing/takeoff's (unlike runways and carriers), frequency of missions, low altitude, firefight situations, etc....they just have a tough job in bad environs - I give credit to the many who do so much with so little (situations, not equipment)

Posted by Frank G 2003-03-22 19:03:40|| 2003-03-22 19:03:40|| Front Page Top

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