A U.S. HH-60 Pave Hawk Helicopter Has Crashed in Iraq
WASHINGTON (USA), March 16, 2018, Author: Galina Zdravkova (Bm), Photo by The Drive.com
A U.S. HH-60 Pave Hawk combat search and rescue helicopter with seven service members on board has crashed in Anbar Province, near the town of Al-Qa’im in western Iraq, said U.S. officials on Thursday (15th March 2018), reported Air Force Times.
Rescuers have reached the place of the accident, but it is not known much yet. If the information is confirmed, this would be the first accident with a U.S. helicopter since 2014 when the U.S. operations against ISIS in the region started. Capt. AnnMarie Annicelli, the spokeswoman for the Air Forces Central Command, stated to Air Force Times that as soon as there are other details available, including information about any survivors, they will be additionally announced.
The reasons for the crash of the military helicopter will be investigated and analysed. According to initial reports the helicopter was being moved from one location to another and it was not under fire. The sandy and dusty conditions in Anbar sometimes could be really heavy for helicopters and their crews.
The U.S. Air Force presence in the region has decreased after the announcement of Iraq that ISIS has been driven from the main Iraqi towns. There are still representatives of the U.S. Air Force at Al Asad for training purposes.