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American Morning

Three Killed in MC-130 Crash

Aired June 13, 2002 - 08:07   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: A reminder, this morning, Paula, about the war that continues in Afghanistan and the deadly effects there. The latest on the crash investigation of a U.S. military plane, three Americans are dead, seven other military personnel injured when the plane crashed southwest of Gardez in Eastern Afghanistan.

Gary Tuchman now, live from Kabul with the latest from there. Gary, hello.

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, hello to you. And it happened fewer than 60 seconds after the MC-130 transport plane took off. It was taking off from a landing strip in Paktika province, that is about 120 south of the capital of Kabul, a routine mission in Southern Afghanistan when the accident occurred.

The plane fits 129 people, aboard were 10 people, seven Air Force crew members and three Army special officers. Seven of them were killed, three wounded -- excuse me, three of them were killed. I apologize, but that is the very good news, that only seven -- that seven people were able to survive this terrible accident.

But of the three who were killed, two of them were in the Air Force, one in the Army. Of the seven people who were wounded, five of them do not have serious injuries. Two of them have serious enough injuries that they have to be transported to Germany.

Now, earlier in the day, we were at the Bagram Air Force Base. That used to be the base controlled by the Soviet Union, now controlled by the United States. Officials there tell us there was not hostile fire. This was purely an accident. At this point, though, they don't know what caused the accident, and as of now, we do not have IDs of those who died or those who were wounded -- Bill, back to you.

HEMMER: Gary, thanks. Gary Tuchman again, live in Kabul in Afghanistan.

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