Two British Royal Navy helicopters collided today over the Persian Gulf, killing thesix British and one American crewmen on board.
The two Sea King helicopters were not hit by enemy fire, said Group Captain AlLockwood, a spokesman for the British forces in the Gulf.
"All those on the helicopters have perished," he said. "It is a greattragedy."
The helicopters crashed at about 4:30am (1.30 a.m. Irish time), just after taking off froma ship in the Gulf. The cause is under investigation.
"We do have very careful plans and procedures to ensure we have separation ofall the aircraft being used," Captain Lockwood said.
"Sadly, last night something was not quite right and we are looking to findout what that was as quickly as possible."
Pentagon spokesman Major Ben Owens said a US Navy officer was among thevictims.
The accident was the second involving coalition helicopters since the US-ledcampaign began.
Eight Royal Marines and four American Marines died when their CH-46 Sea Knighthelicopter crashed before dawn in Kuwait yesterday.
Lieutenant Colonel Ben Curry, a Royal Marines spokesman, said that crashoccurred as troops were being deployed to seize the al-Faw peninsula in southernIraq.
AP