All 16 dead in mystery Afghan helicopter crash

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=278925&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__international_news/

All 16 people including two Dutch soldiers were killed when their helicopter crashed in Afghanistan, a military coalition spokesperson announced on Thursday.

The civilian MI8 helicopter crashed into mountains for unknown reasons near south-eastern Paktia province on Wednesday.

"There were 16 people on board of multiple nationalities. There are no survivors," United States-led coalition spokesperson Thomas Collins said.

"Twelve of the 16 {bodies} have been recovered. There is no indication yet as to what caused the crash of the aircraft," he said.

[MadHound]

1. Just from experience

This generally means that the 'copter was shot down, and they aren't willing to admit to it yet.

[benburch]

2. Helicopters crash into mountains for lots of reasons... nt

[NNN0LHI]

3. Thats what the Soviets kept saying too. I remember it well n/t

[MadHound]

4. No disagreement with you

But I have noticed a trend in the past few years where helicopters that go down in known insurgent areas have a tendency to be labeled as "down due to mysterious causes" in the initial reports. Then later, when attention is turned elsewhere, the military comes out and quietly publishes the fact that the copter was shot down. Just sayin':shrug:

[benburch]

5. You may be right.

I have a built-in distrust of things that fly without wings.

[MadHound]

7. LOL, yeah flying without wings does present problems.

I'm not fond of copters myself, I always figured that in fixed wing aircraft, at least the small ones, you have a chance of gliding in for a less than lethal landing if everything goes tits up, whereas with a copter you just drop like a rock.

However I have found that hot air balloon rides are real cool, and I highly recommend that if you get the chance you should take one. Calm, peaceful, a lovely way to fly.

[The Stranger]

9. Isn't there a war going on in Afghanistan? Mountains are everywhere.

[Selatius]

6. When you try to occupy mountainous country with pissed off locals...

you get crap like this: "Mysterious crashes"

Maybe they ought to wise up to the fact that they're fighting essentially veterans of the Red Army occupation of Afghanistan, and the Red Army was far more brutal.

[BrotherBuzz]

8. Civilian MI8 Helicopter?

What up with that? :shrug: