Afghan helicopter crash a tragic accident -Official A fatal helicopter crash in Afghanistan which killed all five UK personnel on board appears to have been a “tragic accident”, the MoD has said. An investigation has begun into how the Lynx helicopter came down in the south of the country on Saturday. Commander Joint Helicopter Command, Maj Gen Richard Felton, said it was a reminder of the risks UK troops still face as they withdraw from Afghanistan. The prime minister paid tribute to the men, whose families have been told. Three of the soldiers and an airman were stationed in Hampshire. The fifth, an Army reservist, was based in London. It was the first fatal accident of the Afghan conflict involving a UK military helicopter and the third biggest loss of life of British troops in a single incident in the country since the invasion in 2001. “Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families at this difficult time,” Maj Gen Felton said outside RAF Odiham, in Hampshire, where some of the men were based. “The investigation into this accident is ongoing but this is not the time now for speculation or comment.” An MoD spokeswoman said that the crash site had been cordoned off. Speaking on Sky News, Foreign Secretary William Hague said: “This appears to have been a tragic accident,” adding it was “a reminder of the work that our troops still do in Afghanistan”. Despite Taliban claims its fighters had shot the aircraft down, BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said sources had suggested the cause of the crash may have been “technical problems”.
Posted on: Sun, 27 Apr 2014 14:09:37 +0000
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