BRITAIN: Two 'SAS' killed in Iraq copter crash.Byline: By SAMMARSDEN TWO SAS (1) (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, www.sas.com) A software company that specializes in data warehousing and decision support software based on the SAS System. Founded in 1976, SAS is one of the world's largest privately held software companies. See SAS System. members were killed when their RAF Puma helicopter crashed in Iraq, sources said yesterday. Another two British military personnel were seriously injured in·jure tr.v. in·jured, in·jur·ing, in·jures 1. To cause physical harm to; hurt. 2. To cause damage to; impair. 3. when the aircraft came down near Baghdad on Tuesday night. The Ministry of Defence said it was too early to speculate onwhat caused the crash, but the US military revealed it is not believed to have been caused by enemy fire. Regular British forces are based in Basra, southern Iraq, and UK units operating elsewhere in the country are often involved in special forces missions. The MoD refused to comment, but sources indicate the military personnel involved belonged to the SAS. An MoD spokesman said: "We do not comment officially on SAS matters. We are not going to confirm whether these people were members of the SAS." The injured personnel are now recovering in hospital, and the next of kin The blood relatives entitled by law to inherit the property of a person who dies without leaving a valid will, although the term is sometimes interpreted to include a relationship existing by reason of marriage. Cross-references Descent and Distribution. of those involved have been informed. An MoD spokesman said: "It is too early to speculate on the cause of the crash. An RAF board of inquiry has already been convened and is en route to Iraq to conduct its investigations. Our thoughts are with the families at this very difficult time." The US military issued a statement saying a coalition helicopter crashed Tuesday near Salman Pak, on the outskirts of the Iraqi capital, killing two people and injuring 12. The RAF has 33 Pumas, which are used as battlefield helicopters to transport troops and loads of up to two tonnes by day or night. There have been a number of fatal crashes involving the aircraft - the oldest helicopter operated by the RAF - in recent years. Two Pumas collided north of Baghdad in April, killing an RAF crewman and a member of British special forces. It emerged a dust storm, hadblinded one of the pilots. In August, a soldier and two RAF crew members died when their Puma crashed in a field near Catterick Garrison Coordinates: Catterick Garrison is a major Army base located in Northern England. It is the largest British Army garrison in the world with a population of around 12,000, plus a large temporary population of soldiers, and is larger than its older in North Yorkshire North Yorkshire, county (1991 pop. 698,800), 3,209 sq mi (8,313 sq km), N England. The county comprises the districts of Craven, Hambleton, Harrogate, Richmondshire, Ryedale, Scarborough, Selby, and York. . The deaths bring to 173 the number of Britishmilitary fatalities since hostilities began in Iraq in March 2003. CAPTION(S): An RAF Puma of the type in which two British military personnel were killed in Iraq yesterday |
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