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American Morning
Military Officials Confirming Worst about U.S. Black Hawk
Aired November 07, 2003 - 08:00 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.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Our top story this morning, military officials confirming the worst about a U.S. Black Hawk helicopter that went down this morning near Saddam Hussein's ancestral home. They say no one survived that crash near Tikrit. And U.S. troops have come under fatal fire in at least one other attack.
For the latest now, let's go to Nic Robertson.
He is in Tikrit this morning -- good morning to you, Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
Well, the investigation does still seem to be very much under way. That's what coalition officials are telling us.
If you look over my shoulder towards the ridge line, follow the ridge line to the end, you may be able to see two helicopters circling over the area. Right at that end of the ridge line is where the Black Hawk came down this morning about seven hours ago.
Now, there appears to be still some activity going on on the ground where that Black Hawk was. Periodically we see clouds of dust coming up from that area. We understand that the investigation into why the helicopter crashed is still ongoing.
What senior military officials have told us is that people who live in the town on that ridge line, that very densely populated area high up above the river there, they say that local people there saw something being fired at the helicopter before it crashed.
Now, coalition officials say that they cannot confirm that. Indeed, one of the Black Hawks flying with the Black Hawk that crashed reports that it didn't see anything coming up from the ground, didn't see any missile being fired. But what happened about 9:20 Iraq time this morning, two Black Hawks flying from Mosul to the north of here from beyond that ridge line flew past that ridge line, past that densely populated area. One of the Black Hawks crashed, killing all six people, and right now the investigation continues.
The area is secured, we're told, the helicopters continuing to hover in that area -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: CNN's Nic Robertson for us this morning in Tikrit.
Thanks, Nic.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired November 7, 2003 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Our top story this morning, military officials confirming the worst about a U.S. Black Hawk helicopter that went down this morning near Saddam Hussein's ancestral home. They say no one survived that crash near Tikrit. And U.S. troops have come under fatal fire in at least one other attack.
For the latest now, let's go to Nic Robertson.
He is in Tikrit this morning -- good morning to you, Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
Well, the investigation does still seem to be very much under way. That's what coalition officials are telling us.
If you look over my shoulder towards the ridge line, follow the ridge line to the end, you may be able to see two helicopters circling over the area. Right at that end of the ridge line is where the Black Hawk came down this morning about seven hours ago.
Now, there appears to be still some activity going on on the ground where that Black Hawk was. Periodically we see clouds of dust coming up from that area. We understand that the investigation into why the helicopter crashed is still ongoing.
What senior military officials have told us is that people who live in the town on that ridge line, that very densely populated area high up above the river there, they say that local people there saw something being fired at the helicopter before it crashed.
Now, coalition officials say that they cannot confirm that. Indeed, one of the Black Hawks flying with the Black Hawk that crashed reports that it didn't see anything coming up from the ground, didn't see any missile being fired. But what happened about 9:20 Iraq time this morning, two Black Hawks flying from Mosul to the north of here from beyond that ridge line flew past that ridge line, past that densely populated area. One of the Black Hawks crashed, killing all six people, and right now the investigation continues.
The area is secured, we're told, the helicopters continuing to hover in that area -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: CNN's Nic Robertson for us this morning in Tikrit.
Thanks, Nic.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
