Chinook crash site secured 08.08.11
12NATO says coalition troops are now working to recover every last piece of the US Chinook that crashed in Afghanistan on Saturday. It was apparently shot down in eastern Wardak province as it rushed to assist Army Rangers who had come under fire. Thirty Americans and eight Afghans - seven commandos and a civilian translator - were killed in the crash, making it the deadliest single loss for US forces in the decade-long war in Afghanistan. A current and a former US official said the Americans included 22 SEALs, three Air Force members and a dog handler and his dog. All but two of the SEALs were from SEAL Team 6, the unit that killed Osama bin Laden, officials said, although none of the men took part in that mission. Speaking today, German Brig Gen Carsten Jacobson, a spokesman for the coalition, said troops have secured the crash site in Wardak province and nobody is being allowed in or out of the area while the investigation is ongoing. Brig Gen Jacobson said the coalition has still not yet determined the exact cause of the crash. As the investigation continued, NATO confirmed another Chinook had crash-landed in eastern Afghanistan. NATO did not report any casualties in the latest incident and said the cause is under investigation. The coalition said there was no enemy activity in the area at the time. The helicopter was a CH-47 flying in Paktia province to pick up special operations troops, but it apparently suffered a mechanical failure and crash-landed, an officer in the war zone said. The crew were rescued by troops.