Four US Marines Killed in Helicopter Crash

Two military helicopters crashed while helping the Border Patrol in a drug case, killing all four Marines on board.

The crash of the AH1-W Super Cobra helicopters happened Wednesday night at Falcon State Park in far South Texas, near the Mexican border.

Each helicopter carried a crew of two and there were no survivors, U.S. Border Patrol spokesman Armando Carrasco said in a statement.

“The helicopters were conducting a nighttime aviation reconnaissance counterdrug operation in support of the U.S. Border Patrol, Laredo Sector, at the time of the accident,” Carrasco said.

The accident was under investigation and no further details were available, the spokesman said.

The helicopter crews were based in Camp Pendleton, Calif., but were operating out of Fort Bliss, an Army post in far West Texas.

Identities of the dead were withheld pending notification of relatives.

Source: AP (23rd January, 2003)
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Steve ~ Touchdown-News