Seven dead as UK helicopters collide

Two British Royal Navy helicopters collided today over the Persian Gulf, killing the six British and one American crewmen on board, military officials said.

The two Sea King helicopters were not hit by enemy fire, said Group Captain Al Lockwood, a spokesman for the British forces in the Gulf.

“All those on the helicopters have perished,” he said. “It is a great tragedy.”

The helicopters crashed at about 4:30am (1.30am Irish time), just after they took off from a ship in the Gulf, officials said. The cause was under investigation.

“We do have very careful plans and procedures to ensure we have separation of all the aircraft being used,” Lockwood said.

“Sadly, last night something was not quite right and we are looking to find out what that was as quickly as possible.”

Pentagon spokesman Major Ben Owens said a US Navy officer was among the victims.

The accident was the second involving coalition helicopters since the US-led campaign began.

Eight Royal Marines and four American Marines died when their CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter crashed before dawn in Kuwait yesterday.

Lieutenant Colonel Ben Curry, a Royal Marines spokesman, said that crash occurred as troops were being deployed to seize the al-Faw peninsula in southern Iraq.