by Mackrick » Wed Sep 02, 2009 11:00 am
Here is the story as released.
The UK Royal Air Force has lost its second Boeing CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter in Afghanistan in as many weeks, with the aircraft having been deliberately destroyed by coalition forces following a landing incident on 30 August.
All four crew members and 15 troops aboard the Chinook escaped without injury when the helicopter made a suspected hard landing, the UK Ministry of Defence says. The transport "sustained damage to its undercarriage, nose and front rotor" in the accident, which happened near Sangin in Afghanistan's Helmand province at around 05:30 local time.
"Despite all options being investigated, due to the location and the environment, the decision was taken that the aircraft could not safely be recovered," the MoD says. The aircraft was destroyed later the same day using explosives.
Duc, sequere, aut de via decede