Seven US troops were killed when their helicopter crashed during a transport mission in western Iraq, a defense official told AFP Friday. The Sikorsky HH-60 Pave Hawk chopper was on a routine troop transport operation Thursday flying from Iraq to Syria when it went down, the official said. "There were seven people aboard - they are all believed to be dead," the official added. The four crewmembers were all in the Air Force, but it was not immediately known which service the other troops were from, another official said.
Investigators are probing the crash's cause. A Pentagon statement said it did not appear to be a result of enemy activity. An accompanying US helicopter reported the crash and a quick reaction force comprised of Iraqi Security Forces and US-led coalition members secured the scene. "This tragedy reminds us of the risks our men and women face every day in service of our nations. We are thinking of the loved ones of these service members today," Brigadier General Jonathan Braga said. "We are grateful to the Iraqi security forces for their immediate assistance in response to this tragic incident."
The identities of those killed will be released after next of kin are notified.
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