20 killed when Black Hawk crashes

A Black Hawk helicopter crashed during a counterdrugs mission in the jungles of south-west Colombia today, killing all 20 soldiers on board.

The helicopter, used in the US-funded anti-drug effort called Plan Colombia, went down near the town of Tumaco, 370 miles from the capital, Bogota.

The army said early investigations indicated the crash was caused by “bad weather.”

The Black Hawk was part of an assault mission that included seven other aircraft, the army said.

Army chief General Reinaldo Castellanos said the area is full of Marxist guerrillas.