At least three dead in crash of U.S. military helicopter in eastern Sicily

APNewsAlert | July 16, 2003

[HAL9000]

APNewsAlert

ROME (AP) -- At least three dead in crash of U.S. military helicopter in eastern Sicily, Italian firefighters say.

Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved

MORE...

[Paradox]

Ya see! Its the Italian Quagmire!

[beaversmom]

Not that I'll ever have the opportunity, but I would never want to go up in a military helicopter.

[RoughDobermann]

Helicopters continue to kill our soldiers. I know that they're necessary, but I hate the damn things.

[HAL9000]

U.S. military helicopter crashes near Catania after taking off from base

ROME (AP) -- A U.S. military helicopter went down in a fiery crash in the Sicilian countryside Wednesday, killing at least three crew members, Italian firefighters said.

The U.S. Navy base at Sigonella, Sicily, confirmed the crash of a MH-53E Sea Dragon with four crew members, but said the status of the crew members was not known. The names of crew members were being withheld pending family notification.

MORE

Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

[HAL9000]

The helicopter had crashed a short time after taking off from the U.S. Navy base at Sigonella, outside Catania in eastern Sicily, according to national fire officials in Rome.

Italian firefighters in Sicily said three and possibly four crew members were dead, a national fire department official said on condition of anonymity.

Italian firefighters said the helicopter was engulfed in flames sparked by the crash, and that the fire was put out by crews from the U.S. base.

[OldFriend]

My son had the 'opportunity' compliments of the US Army. He did what he had to do.......

I pray for all our military. More die in military training accidents in a year than have died in Iraq.

[adam_az]

As per http://members.aol.com/mh53e/history.htm the MH53-E isn't even that old - there are much older birds still in use... the MH-53E was in production from 81 to 94.

[Sloth]

WHERE is the evidence that Italy bought uranium from Niger? HOW can we get out of this Italian quagmire? WHEN will President Bush own up to his pattern of deception in linking Al Qaida to the Italian government?

< /idiocy >

[csvset]

Probably a bird from HC-4, RIP

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Probably HC-4 out of NAS Sigonella.

[SoFarRight]

Not that I'll ever have the opportunity, but I would never want to go up in a military helicopter.

Safer to fly in than anything fixed winged! I might be biased!

SFR

[jungleboy]

I've been to this base many, many times. Nestled around the world famous Mt. Etna. A very strategic Military Post. Prayers to the families.

[Thinkin' Gal]

:-(

[dasboot]

NPR news tonight: "As many as four more US soldiers died today, bringing the total killed since George Bush declared an end to hostilities in Iraq, to ____(number here)."

[larryjohnson]

Stayed there 2wks feb00

[Aaron0617]

Helicopters continue to kill our soldiers. I know that they're necessary, but I hate the damn things.

Applying spin...There hasn't been a fatal U.S. helicopter crash in 2 months. The last being the Blackhawk in Iraq that crashed after hitting the electrical wires.

You have to consider how many U.S. military helicopters (including the Osprey) are taking all over the world on any given day.

[Travis McGee]

Don't worry about combat, worry about the helicopter ride.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Why didn't they autorotate?

[dasboot]

Autorotation must be a myth... like the one about women having a sexual peak in their mid-forties. One is used to get you on a chopper; the other, to keep you hopeful and married.