[Phsstpok]

Now, remember, we must not replace these helicopters, no matter how old they are, how slow or how many fatal crashes they have. Replacing them means going with the V-22 Osprey, which has had a couple of fatal crashes during testing and must therefore be canceled at all costs.

The Luddites have spoken, don't you know.

Anything old is good. Anything new is bad. QED.

[2banana]

The CH-47 Chinook helicopter can hold up to 50 GIs and crew - it could have been alot worse...

[leadpenny]

MSNBC (AP) is reporting five dead.

[leadpenny]

Recommend "Breaking News"

[leadpenny]

bump

[CheneyChick]

That dust in Afghanistan is very bad.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Last Updated: Wednesday, 6 April, 2005, 15:39 GMT 16:39 UK

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'No survivors' in US Afghan crash

A US military helicopter has crashed in south-eastern Afghanistan killing at least nine people, four of them crew, the US military says.

The CH-47 Chinook went down in bad weather in the province of Ghazni, spokeswoman Lt Cindy Moore told the Associated Press news agency.

Lt Moore said it appeared that there were no survivors.

US forces have suffered a number of fatal air accidents in Afghanistan since ousting the Taleban in 2001.

The helicopter was one of two Chinooks flying to the main US base at Bagram, north of Kabul, from a routine mission in southern Afghanistan.

"Indications are it was bad weather and that there were no survivors," Lt Moore said.

CHINOOK CH-47 Twin-engined aircraft with two, three-bladed rotors Used to move soldiers, weapons and supplies Can carry 54 troops or 25,000 lbs (11,340 kg) of freight - more than its own weight Crew of four Fact file: Chinook

It was the worst air crash suffered by US forces in Afghanistan since they toppled the Taleban at the end of 2001, she added.

The seven previous accidents claimed 21 lives.

The identity of the passengers killed on Wednesday is still unclear. The second helicopter arrived safely at Bagram airfield.

Ghazni governor Assadullah Khalid told Reuters news agency that local officials had recovered two bodies from the crash site.

"We recovered two American soldiers' bodies and now American forces are in control of the situation. The chopper was burning when we were there," he said.

Helicopters from the Bagram base have been used as part of a US offensive against suspected al-Qaeda and Taleban members in remote areas of the country.

[armymarinemom]

Prayers going out to the families.

[MEG33]

16 dead , 4 crewmembers ...all believed to be American..Rest in Peace.

[Snickersnee]

Ghazni city (and the surrounding Ghazni province) is the AO of my son's unit, the 3d Bn, 116th Infantry, ("Stonewall Brigade") Virginia ArNG. They've been there since July of last year. Anxiety pings to the Shennandoah Valley, where the 3/116th calls home. Pray for our troops.

[leadpenny]

Col Jack Jacobs just answered one of my questions. He is talking to Don Imus from Iraq and had just left Afghanistan about the time of the crash. He had visited troops of the 173rd Airborne Brigade and said the sand stroms are very unpredictable and you cannot climb high enough to get over them.

[freepersup]

PRINT THIS STORY | E-MAIL THIS STORY

Area marine dies in chopper crash
By THOMAS B. LANGHORNE, Courier & Press staff 812 464-7432 or langhornet@courierpress.com
April 8, 2005

EVANSVILLE -- A Marine from Mount Vernon, Ind., was among 16 people confirmed killed in a desert helicopter crash in Afghanistan on Wednesday, according to members of his family.

"Jimmy Shawn" Lee, 26, who was known as Jimmy Shawn Gay until he adopted his ex-wife's name upon marriage in 1999, was scheduled to come home next week, his mother said Thursday. / * end of excerpt

---

The notification of next of kin is ongoing... this Marine is one of the first KIA to be named in the press.

Two soldiers from the 25th ID ( Schofield Barracks ) have been identified, so far as to the unit they were from (possibly the aircrew of the helo)

I am currently in Afghanistan (southeast) and a dust storm is kicking up as I post this reply. Two days ago it was near zero visibility conditions due to a classic raging dust storm. The temperature dropped about 50 degrees or more in a few hours and the winds were really kicking up out of the southwest. Whether the conditions were the same up north is unknown.

The weather may have been OK for a flight up north, however by the time the helo was downrange the conditions likely changed (dramatically) catching the crew by surprise. Mechanical issues may be the root cause in the end. From my perspective, you did not want to be in the air two days ago. Flights were cancelled here due to poor weather / flight conditions.

Freedom isn't free-

The Marine's CH 46 helos definitely look like they have been rode hard and put away wet. It is a tribute to the air crews and ground crews that keep these birds flying, nothing short of amazing.

Op sec is very good here so most of what we learn comes from the www where op sec isn't so good.

[Search4Truth]

Prayers for the deceased and the bereaved.