Black Hawks Collide in Iraq

Two Black Hawk helicopters collided and crashed in northern Iraq, killing 17 American soldiers and injuring at least five.

The two Black Hawks, which belonged to the 101st Airborne Division, went down on Saturday night in the Borsa residential neighborhood of Mosul, Iraq’s third-largest city.

A statement by the US command said one helicopter was carrying a quick reaction force and the other ferried soldiers on a transport mission in northern Iraq.

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The statement did not give the cause of the crash, although some soldiers at the scene said one of the choppers might have been hit by ground fire.

“The cause of the incidents are under investigation,” the statement said. “We will not speculate on the cause of these crashes.”

The crash occurred about 6:30 pm after sundown, but both pilots were qualified for limited visibility flying, the military said.

Insurgents have shot down two helicopters this month – a Chinook transport helicopter on November 2, killing 16 soldiers, then a Black Hawk on November 7, killing all six soldiers on board. (AP)