- WASHINGTON -- A US Air Force
C-5 cargo plane carrying 63 passengers and crew members apparently hit
by a surface-to-air missile today as it took off from Baghdad international
airport managed to land safely, a senior US defence official said.
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- "It looks like its number four engine was hit by
a surface-to-air missile, but it was able to turn around, come back and
land," the official said.
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- An investigation into the incident was under way.
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- Earlier, the air force said in a statement that the C-5
declared an inflight emergency "because of excessive engine vibrations
in their number four engine".
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- "The aircraft had just departed the airport when
the problem occurred. The crew was able to land safely. There were 63 passengers
and crewmembers on board the aircraft. No injuries were reported,"
it said.
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- It would be the third time since May 1, when major combat
operations were declared over, that a plane has been hit by a surface-to-air
missile while flying out of Baghdad international airport.
-
- On December 10, a defence official in Washington said
an Air Force C-17 cargo and troop transport plane was hit by a surface-to-air
missile after takeoff from Baghdad with a crew of three and 13 passengers.
-
- On November 22, a DHL cargo plane was hit by a shoulder-fired
SA-14 surface-to-air missile as it took off from Baghdad airport. DHL temporarily
suspended flights into Iraq after the incident.
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- © The Australian
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- http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_
page/0,5744,8356490%255E1702,00.html
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