Blackhawk down!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2710497.stm

A US army helicopter has crashed near the Afghan capital, Kabul, and there are casualties among those on board.
The US military said the Black Hawk transport helicopter came down near Bagram air base outside Kabul.

A spokesman for US Central Command in Florida said the cause of the crash was not clear.

According to the latest information from the base, no one has been killed in the incident.

The spokesman in Florida said there was no information on the number of injured, or the extent of their injuries.

“I can confirm that there are US casualties and at this time this incident does not appear to be related to hostile action,” he said.

The UH-60 helicopter and its crew were on a routine training mission in an area known as the East Training Range, about 10 kilometres (six miles) east of Bagram.

Weather conditions around the capital have been poor for the last few days, with international flights into Kabul cancelled on Thursday.

Combat role

The Black Hawk is considered to be one of the US’s most important combat helicopters.

Black Hawk: Familiar sight in the Afghan skies
It is unclear how many people were on board at the time of the crash.

The helicopter is normally flown by two pilots and a crew of two. It is designed to carry 11 air assault troops.

Seven German peacekeepers died in a similar incident before Christmas.

The engine in the helicopter they were travelling in overheated and the aircraft crashed into a house near Kabul airport.

The crash was blamed on the aircraft having been incorrectly reassembled after it was shipped to Afghanistan.

Bagram is the main base for US forces hunting Taleban and al-Qaeda fighters who remain in Afghanistan.

They are engaged in a major operation in the south-east of the country against forces believed to be Taleban.