US helicopter downed in Afghanistan

[jdbjdb]

At least five soldiers have been killed in a US military chopper crash in Afghanistan. A further seven were injured.

In a separate incident, two soldiers from the US-led force were wounded when an explosion ripped through their vehicle close to the border town of Shkin.

The helicopter crashed Sunday near the military base in Bagram. US authorities said the cause of the incident was as yet unknown.

"The cause of the crash is unknown and under military investigation," US Central Command said in a statement, ******* reported.

It said the troops aboard the downed helicopter were supporting Operation Mountain Resolve.

[Maverick77]

Doubt it was shot down but well see

[Tom.G]

Is that area known to be hostile to the coalition?

[jdbjdb]

Bagram is just north of Kabul, in the Hindu Kush mountains, I'm sure there is still terrorist hiding in caves and running around being pest to the coalition forces

[Maverick77]

Yeah Taliban and Al Queda fighters have been coming over the border the 100s at a time lately I hear so maybe they did take it down. I highly doubt it though.

[jdbjdb]

Yeah Taliban and Al Queda fighters have been coming over the border the 100s at a time lately I hear so maybe they did take it down. I highly doubt it though.
I guess Pakistan could do a better job at sealing their side of the border.

[NcDeuce]

Bad weather + altitude + dangerous terrain + lots of terrorists left = Tough situation for the birds.

[Dalleer]

The US army sure has lost many helicopters lately.

[fantassin]

When you only use six Infantry Batallions to cover 600 000 sq km, no wonder you need a lot of helos.

There are about 5000 men just for Kabul...and 6 Inf Bn for the rest of the country...go figure...

[The Walrus]

Many of these fighters were taught by the Mujahadin who fought the Russians, so they are likely to be adept at shooting down helicopters, one thing to be concerned about is if the guerillas use the stinger missiles they got in the 80's...

[Seraphim]

http://a799.g.akamai.net/3/799/388/e051a4dcede0a0/www.msnbc.com/news/2077934.jpg

http://www.msnbc.com/news/997300.asp?vts=112420030904

[Seraphim]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=535&ncid=535&e=2&u=/ap/20031124/ap_on_re_as/afghan_helicopter_crash_17

Video on link


Afghan Copter Crash May Be Engine Failure

By THOMAS WAGNER, Associated Press Writer

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - Engine failure — not enemy fire — may have downed a U.S. transport helicopter in Afghanistan (news - web sites), Pentagon (news - web sites) officials said Monday, as soldiers at the scene searched the burned wreckage of the crash that killed five U.S. serviceman.



The MH-53 transport helicopter, which can carry up to 55 people, crashed Sunday just after leaving Bagram Air Base to support a special military operation by the U.S.-led coalition in northeastern Afghanistan. Eight soldiers also were wounded.


U.S. military officials at Bagram and Central Command in Tampa, Fla., had been investigating the cause — including whether it was shot down by rocket fire from pro-Taliban militants.


But at the Pentagon, officials said Monday there was no indication the helicopter was hit by hostile fire. Some sort of engine problem may have caused the crash, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.


At the scene, against a backdrop of snow-topped mountains and hills, between 15 to 20 U.S. soldiers guarded and searched the burned-out copter. It crashed in pieces near a river that runs through a small farming village deep in the Bagram region, only seven miles from the U.S. air base.


Afghan Muslim villagers looking on said they saw the chopper crash just before sunset Sunday as they ended their daily fast during the holy month of Ramadan.


"I saw the helicopter crashing, breaking into pieces and catching fire. Part of it fell into the river bed here," Maraj Jan said, adding that he did not see anything strike the aircraft.


At Bagram Air Base, U.S. military spokesman Maj. Richard Sater said the aircraft had just left the base in support of Operation Mountain Resolve, launched by U.S. and Afghan soldiers Nov. 7 in eastern Nuristan and Kunar provinces. He refused to say how many soldiers the copter was carrying, or whether it was dropping off or picking up coalition forces.


"It certainly is tragic," Sater said of the crash.


At a news conference in the capital, Kabul, Foreign Ministry spokesman Omar Samad said: "The Afghan people are saddened by this tragic event."


Bagram Air Base, just north of Kabul, is home to most of the 11,600 coalition forces in Afghanistan. An additional 5,500 international peacekeepers patrol the capital.


Eastern and southern Afghanistan have become hotbeds of attacks by pro-Taliban and pro-al-Qaida militants targeting coalition forces, U.N. workers and relief agencies. -Some 35 Americans have died from hostile fire in Afghanistan since the October 2001 start of the Afghan war, according to the U.S. military.

[Argyll]

MH53?So this was a Spec Ops Helo?
Judging by the colour of the tail parts this was either an MH53 Pave Low,or the CH53E Sea Stallion!

[96B]

You Sir, would be correct.

http://www.specialoperations.com/Aviation/Pave_Low/Photo_Library/helicopters_mh53_0008.jpg

[Tom.G]

What kind of chopper is that?

[Argyll]

MH 53 J/M PaveLow

[California Joe]

Check out the big brain on Argyll. ;)

[Argyll]

:lol: ,Joe it's one of my favourite choppers!!
Last year one flew right over my place of work at less thn 50',on the West Coast of Scotland!!
I have also got some great pics of it somewhere in my room,and also got 2 websites bookmarked on it!!

[Roger Rabbit]

I went to an island called Arran on the west coast, ever heard of it? I was there for a week and we called in the Isle of Barren.