NATO soldier dies after helicopter crash in eastern Afghanistan

NATO soldier dies after helicopter crash in eastern Afghanistan

2011-04-24 15:41:48 GMT+7 (ICT)

KABUL (BNO NEWS) -- A coalition service member has died of his injuries after a NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan on early Saturday morning, the alliance said on Sunday.

The accident happened on Saturday when the helicopter of an unknown type carrying two crew members crashed in the Alah Say district of Kapisa province. There were conflicting reports on what caused the crash.

Both crew members initially survived the accident, but one of them later died at the scene as a result of injuries sustained in the crash. Their nationalities were not immediately released pending next of kin notification.

When coalition rescue forces arrived at the crash site, ISAF said, they immediately came under fire from insurgents. "Coalition forces returned fire with small arms and an air weapons team while working to evacuate the two crew members of the aircraft," an ISAF spokesperson said.

Aircraft recovery operations and heavy fighting continued for a number of hours after the crash, but there were no immediate reports of additional casualties.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for downing the aircraft, saying insurgents had shot down the helicopter and killed all crew members on board. The insurgent group, however, is known to frequently exaggerate and fabricate claims.

ISAF refused to comment on what may have caused the accident, or what sort of helicopter was involved, but provincial officials said the aircraft may have hit a cable that has been erected between two mountains to ferry rocks.

In September 2010, nine NATO troops were killed and others were injured when an ISAF helicopter crashed in southern Afghanistan.

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