6 Americans Dead in Afghan Helicopter Crash

Six US service members were killed today when a helicopter crashed in southern Afghanistan, US and NATO officials said. One person on board the Black Hawk UH-60 was injured and survived, two US defense officials said. The aircraft was an Army helicopter from an Army unit, but officials have not yet confirmed the identities or the service branches of the individuals, a third official said.

A NATO statement said that the crash was under investigation and that there was no insurgent activity in the area at the time. According to initial reports, the troops had mechanical problems and came under fire only after the crash. It was unclear whether any of the casualties were the result of enemy fire. The deputy governor of southern Zabul province said a NATO helicopter crashed in the remote district of Shajau, and US officials later confirmed that Zabul was the location of the US crash. (More Afghanistan stories.)