Two U.S. Marine Corps helicopters crash

AP ^ | 2/17/06 | AP

[Cagey]

[steveo]

Prayers going out...

[X-FID]

Must be a collision of some sort.

[eastforker]

Thanks for posting, beats me how they can be so sure hostile fire was not invoved especialy in that region.

[Mark]

UPDATE

Two of the 12 crew members were rescued. The status of the other 10 was not immediately known, officials said.

[HHKrepublican_2]

Hmm...that close to Somalia.

[Vicomte13]

Djibouti is closely controlled by the French. It's not a place where terrorists can thrive.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

no indication that hostile fire was involved

Doesn't eliminate the possibility!

[RaceBannon]

that means they weren't too high in altitude anyways!

[finnman69]

shark infested water

not good at all

[Snickersnee]

This will throw the spotlight on the most successful Franco-American cooperation since the siege of Yorktown, to wit: our use of the French military/naval complex in Djibouti. This has been going on for a long time in almost semi-secrecy. I think it may date back to Ethiopian Civil War days, or beyond.

[SJSAMPLE]

I'm betting on the Marines.
Prayers out.

[jimbo123]

It's not a place where terrorists can thrive.
Wrong. AQ terror summits have been held in that country post 9/11. It's muzzie central.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Two U.S Military helicopters crash off Djibouti coast

Saturday, 18 February 2006,

By ANDnetwork Journalist

Two US Marine Corps helicopters carrying a dozen people crashed off the coast of Djibouti Friday, the military said. Two injured crew members were rescued but the others are missing.

The CH-53 helicopters went down around 5:30 pm local time over the Gulf of Aden near Ras Siyuan in northern Djibouti, a US military statement said.

"There were a total of 12 crew members aboard at the time of the crash," the statement said. "Djiboutian military members near the impact site responded immediately and were able to rescue two injured crew members."

Source : Sapa-AFP /dg

[bray]

Prayers for our brave heroes and their families.

[usmcobra]

Two 53's collided in mid air, and there were suvivors?

Someone is mighty lucky.

I'm praying for more against the odds.

[RushCrush]

Forgive my naivete, but since when does being French-controlled mean that terrorists cannot thrive?

Prayers up.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Most likely HMH-464.

CAMP LEMONIER, DJIBOUTI, Africa (AFPN) -- U.S. military members lay on the ground simulating a car crash injury, while Air Force pararescuemen in a Marine CH-53 Super Stallion helicopter prepare to pick them. The scenario was part of a search and rescue exercise here Feb 8. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ricky A. Bloom)

[propertius]

Oh please, as someone who has been to Djibouti i can tell you that there is a great deal of fanaticism in the area, both in Djibouti and, of course, in Somalia. That is why JTF-HOA is stationed there.