FALLUJA - Guerrillas shot down a United States military helicopter in central Iraq overnight, killing one pilot and injuring another, officials and witnesses said.
The OH-58 observation chopper crashed around 12.20pm local time (10.20pm Friday NZT) in Falluja, west of Baghdad, after it came under enemy fire, the US Central Command said.
A policeman who witnessed the crash said the aircraft was apparently hit by a missle.
"We were in a joint patrol with US troops to remove landmines and I saw a helicopter hovering in the sky which was hit by a missle," policeman Mohammad Abdul Aziz said.
"It was split into two and went down in flames."
It was the fifth US helicopter shot down by guerrillas in Iraq in recent months. In November, they brought down three Black Hawk utility helicopters and a Chinook transporter, killing a total of 39 US soldiers.
The latest death brings to 328 the number of US servicemen killed in enemy action since coalition forces invaded Iraq in March.
- REUTERS
Herald Feature: Iraq
Iraq links and resources
US chopper shot down in Iraq, one killed
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