2005.01.25 (GMT) - Helicopter shot down, 28 dead GIs

12 hours later still nothing in the "free" media news


========== update - Media announced it now
One of the differences between 1916, 1942 and now:
- you could use the nazi/illuminati propaganda machine to hide from the masses 600,000 german deaths during Christmas 1942 in Stalingrad or 700,000 german/french/british deatahs in the Verdun trenches.

Today it's not possible, if the families of the victims refuse to play the zombie role they were told to.



[edit on 26-1-2005 by MattMarriott]

I heard of the crash around midnight but I hadn't heard of a casualty count.
I doubt it's that high.

mnf-iraq

Camp Fallujah, Iraq -- A U.S. Marine Corps transport helicopter crashed Jan. 26, at approximately 1:20 a.m. near Ar Rutbah while conducting security and stabilization operations.

Personnel from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing were transporting personnel from the 1st Marine Division when the crash occurred.

A search and rescue team is currently at the site and an investigation into the incident is currently underway.

Confirmation of casualties will occur in a separate press release.

The I MEF Media Team will release an update later this morning.

[edit on 26-1-2005 by AceOfBase]

The aircraft, transporting personnel from the 1st Marine Division, came down near Rutbah, close to the border with Jordan, at about 0120 (2220 GMT).

An investigation is under way into the cause of the crash, US military said. No casualty figures have yet been provided.

Meanwhile, US marines have launched a search and rescue operation after a helicopter crashed in western Iraq.

source: bbc.co.uk

"A US Marine Corps transport helicopter crashed on 26 January at approximately 1.20am (2220 GMT Tuesday) near al-Rutbah while conducting security and stabilisation operations," the military said in a statement on Wednesday.

The marines declined to provide the cause of the crash or to release any casualty figures.

source: english.aljazeera

CBSNEWS: U.S. Chopper Crashes In Iraq

"Jan. 26, 2005

A U.S. Marine transport helicopter crashed in western Iraq, killing as many as 30 on board"

Well, quite apart from the non-confirmation of actual numbers, it looks as though the chopper went down in hostile territory. Hope they get as many out of there quickly.

Originally posted by dixon
Hope they get as many out of there quickly.

They say all on board were kiled.

CBS News National Security Correspondent David Martin reports as many as 30 are dead in the crash of the CH-53E "Super Stallion" helicopter. All aboard were killed. Military officials are not sure yet whether the chopper was shot down or crashed for some other reason

That's tragic.
I feel sorry for the families.

Saying a prayer for them and their families.

CNN is reporting 31 dead:

CNN
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A U.S. Marine Corps helicopter crashed early Wednesday in western Iraq killing 31 people, military officials said.

Terrible. Is this the highest casualty rate for a single "event"?

Who knows ? We only know what we're told.

Anyway, can this chopper take these many troops at one go ?

i like that the topic says "shot down" just to fire up the discussion....not one of those news stories said shot down....maybe it ran out of gas

I didn't see Chinook written in any reports, but I now the Marines use them. They seat 44 passengers.

As for it being shot down, seems you are the only one to comment on it so far. Personally I think it would be worse if it ran out of gas, as such would be an avoidable tragedy.

[edit on 26-1-2005 by cargo]

It's a really deadly day for the US in Iraq.
The helicopter crash wasn't the only incident.

CENTCOM
FOUR MARINES KILLED IN ACTION IN AL ANBAR PROVINCE

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq -- Four Marines assigned to the I Marine Expeditionary Force were killed in action today while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in the Al Anbar Province.

The names of the deceased are being withheld pending next of kin notification.

CENTCOM

ONE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION SOLDIER KILLED, TWO WOUNDED IN RPG ATTACK

TIKRIT, Iraq -- One 1st Infantry Division Soldier was killed and two others wounded when anti-Iraqi forces attacked their combat patrol with rocket propelled grenades near Ad Duluiyah on Jan. 26 at about 11:20 a.m. The Soldiers were evacuated to a Multi-National Forces medical facility for treatment. One Soldier is in serious condition; the other is in stable condition. The names of the Soldiers are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

The helicopter may have crashed, or may have been shot down. We may never know. If it was in an insurgency hotspot, they may have shot it down, because they certainly have the arms to do so. But you guys may be right, and its just a technical fault/running out of fuel... but surley they would have landed the chopper if it was running out of fuel?

Perhaps this is a step up in the insurgens campaign against the elections. Lets hope not.

Thoes who have died today have gone to a better place. I am sorry for their familys however.

i was commenting on the topic of the post!! why does it say shot down if nobody has the definitive answer

CNN.com is reporting it crashed.


www.cnn.com...

Originally posted by cargo
Terrible. Is this the highest casualty rate for a single "event"?

It must be. According to this news article this is the deadliest day for total casualties so far:

The previous deadliest day for U.S. forces was March 23, 2003, the third day of the war, when 28 U.S. soldiers died mostly in fierce fighting in southern Iraq.

Bloodiest day for US forces in Iraq

Speaking to Aljazeera from Ramadi, Muhammad Abd al-Rahman, an independent Iraqi journalist, said a US military Chinook helicopter used for carrying cargo as well as troops, had come down in a remote desert area in Widyan district, east of Rutba town on the Iraq-Jordan border.
He said local residents reported seeing several US military helicopters on low-altitude flights over the area where the crash took place, which is apparently beyond the reach of civilians.
It is a known fact that US forces use transport aircraft for ferrying both goods and troops in response to frequent attacks on US convoys on Iraq's roads, Abd al-Rahman said.
But as these aircraft fly at relatively slow speeds and at low altitudes, they are vulnerable to rocket attacks by fighters who can fire and withdraw.
No group has claimed responsibility for the downing of the helicopter so far, he added.


Fighters strike Iraq election targets

Fighters have attacked the offices of three political parties northeast of Baghdad and released a video apparently showing three seized election workers.
Police in Baquba, a mixed Shia and Sunni town 65km north of Baghdad, said one policeman was killed and at least eight people wounded when armed men opened fire on the local offices of three parties contesting on Sunday's polls.

"We are mujahidin in
the province of Ninawa. What they call
elections have no basis in the Islamic religion
and that's why we will hit all election centres"

Fighters in a video purportedly with captured election workers

Kirkuk under curfew as poll centres hit

Kirkuk on Tuesday was set to impose the curfew and tough security in a bid to ward off attacks during the country's election scheduled for 30 January. From Tuesday, Kirkuk authorities ordered an 8pm to 5am curfew which will be extended by two hours on the eve of the election, in which Iraqis will vote for a national assembly to draw up a new constitution.
Elsewhere 10 polling centres north of Baghdad were attacked overnight, police reported. A further voting station was hit in the south of the country.
Centres were attacked with mortars and small arms fire, mortar rounds and rockets pounded three voting centres in Tikrit on Monday night and a fourth station was hit on Tuesday morning, Iraqi police Colonel Abd Allah al-Juburi said.


on sunday it is going to be one bloody day for "democracy"...

[edit on 26-1-2005 by Souljah]

Another US helicopter just crashed in Iraq...
Once again they say they don´t think it´s because of enemy fire...

www.abcactionnews.com...

"An Army helicopter crashed in southwest Baghdad on Friday night, and the fate of the crew was not immediately known, a U.S. military official said.

U.S. military officials do not believe the helicopter was hit by hostile fire"

The Army and Marines are long overdue for a replacement of their heavy-lift choppers (Chinook and Super Sea-Stallion). These old birds are way past their service life and we gotta get our V-22 Osprey's on the front line....soon.



Maximu§