Crashed chopper had dropped off troops

[babylonsister]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070531/ap_on_re_as/afghan_helicopter_down;_ylt=AvCfsAwH6soyEWN.xAbxcZus0NUE

Crashed chopper had dropped off troops

By JASON STRAZIUSO, Associated Press Writer 19 minutes ago

KABUL, Afghanistan - Up to 40 U.S. soldiers streamed out of a CH-47 Chinook in an air assault on a Taliban position in southern Afghanistan shortly before the helicopter crashed, officials said Thursday. Five Americans, a Briton and a Canadian were killed.

The Chinook's plunge late Wednesday came on the first day of a new joint
NATO-Afghan operation to force Taliban fighters out of the northern part of Helmand province.

NATO said troops who went to the crash site were ambushed by enemy fighters, and the unit called in an airstrike. The U.S. military said "a large number of insurgents" were killed.

Maj. John Thomas, a spokesman for NATO's International Security Assistance Force, said the Chinook — a heavy lift twin rotor helicopter — had just dropped off a full load of troops from the 82nd Airborne before it went down. He said between 30 and 40 troops would likely have been on board.

more...

[LisaM]

1. Thank God they weren't all on board

what a mess this all is.

[Zywiec]

2. Wow, they missed a bullet on that one.

That would have been tragic to have a fully loaded Chinook go down.

[tabasco]

3. This could not have happened!

Bush said "the Taliban is no more."

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/10/20031009-22.html

Surely the Commander Guy wouldn't lie to us about his glorious victories, would he?