Four US soldiers were killed when their Blackhawk helicopter crashed during a night training mission in Afghanistan, the US military said today.
A military spokesman said the accident occurred 12 kilometres from Bagram, north of Kabul, the main US air base in Afghanistan. He said the accident happened around 7.30 p.m. (3 p.m. Irish time).
"There was no indication of hostile fire," the spokesman said, adding the names of the victims would be released by Washington once the next of kin had been informed. Mr King said an unsuccessful attempt was made to rescue the helicopter crew.
The deaths bring to 47 the number of US troops killed in accidents and combat since the campaign to wipe out the Taliban and al-Qaeda began in October 2001.
Military air accident investigators were today examining the overturned wreck of the aircraft, which hit the ground in a barren open plain littered with debris from Afghanistan's years of conflict.
AFP