Mechanical fault being blamed for helicopter crash near North Korea

A mechanical fault is being blame for US military helicopter crash near the North Korean border.

The aircraft, which was taking part in a joint South Korea-US drill, was carrying 21 people and six of those are said to be in a stable condition in hospital.

A US official described the crash as a "hard landing" in Cheolwon county, which is on the border with North Korea.

The Korean peninsula is currently at a state of heightened military tensions, partly due to North Korea's anger over the ongoing South Korea-US military exercises, which it sees as an invasion rehearsal.

There are 28,500 US military personnel permanently stationed in South Korea.