Missile or rocket hits UK chopper in Iraq
jp/ap: A British military helicopter crashed in the southern Iraqi city of Basra on Saturday, and a crowd of locals cheered and threw stones at British forces who raced to the scene to close off the area.
Police Capt. Mushtaq Khazim said the helicopter crashed into a two-story house in a residential area of the city, apparently after being hit by a missile or a rocket. He said the four-member crew had died but that no Iraqis were hurt on the ground. Link
reuters: A British military helicopter came down in the southern Iraqi city of Basra on Saturday and firefighters said they had found four charred bodies in the wreckage, which was quickly surrounded by a jeering crowd.
The helicopter burst into flames on impact and a thick cloud of black smoke billowed into the air. A policeman at the scene said a missile had been fired at the aircraft.
Crowds stand around and watch as others throw stones and Molotov cocktails on a british tank as it arrived on the scene where a British military helicopter crashed in Basra, Iraq Saturday May 6, 2006 in this image from TV. (AP Photo/TEL)
A British Defence Ministry spokesman in London would say only: "We can confirm it was a British military helicopter that has crashed and an investigation is ongoing."
A British military spokeswoman in Basra denied saying that a missile had brought the aircraft down. Military sources said, however, that it seemed likely the helicopter was shot down.
Hundreds of angry people quickly gathered, pelting British soldiers cordoning off the site, dancing and chanting: "Victory for the Mehdi Army!"
The Mehdi army is the militia loyal to firebrand Shi'ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who has demanded an end to the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq and is a key figure in the Islamist Alliance bloc that will lead a new Iraqi government.
The helicopter crashed into a building near the provincial governor's office, but there were no casualties on the ground, police said.
Basra, Iraq's second largest city, is 550 km (340 miles) south of Baghdad. It is policed mainly by British troops, of whom some 8,000 are still in Iraq along with 133,000 Americans. Link
Police Capt. Mushtaq Khazim said the helicopter crashed into a two-story house in a residential area of the city, apparently after being hit by a missile or a rocket. He said the four-member crew had died but that no Iraqis were hurt on the ground. Link
reuters: A British military helicopter came down in the southern Iraqi city of Basra on Saturday and firefighters said they had found four charred bodies in the wreckage, which was quickly surrounded by a jeering crowd.
The helicopter burst into flames on impact and a thick cloud of black smoke billowed into the air. A policeman at the scene said a missile had been fired at the aircraft.
A British Defence Ministry spokesman in London would say only: "We can confirm it was a British military helicopter that has crashed and an investigation is ongoing."
A British military spokeswoman in Basra denied saying that a missile had brought the aircraft down. Military sources said, however, that it seemed likely the helicopter was shot down.
Hundreds of angry people quickly gathered, pelting British soldiers cordoning off the site, dancing and chanting: "Victory for the Mehdi Army!"
The Mehdi army is the militia loyal to firebrand Shi'ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who has demanded an end to the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq and is a key figure in the Islamist Alliance bloc that will lead a new Iraqi government.
The helicopter crashed into a building near the provincial governor's office, but there were no casualties on the ground, police said.
Basra, Iraq's second largest city, is 550 km (340 miles) south of Baghdad. It is policed mainly by British troops, of whom some 8,000 are still in Iraq along with 133,000 Americans. Link
posted by exoplanet at 1:30 PM
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