Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Saturday Morning News

Two U.S. Service Members Die in Helicopter Accident

Aired October 20, 2001 - 08:04   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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: The Pentagon says two U.S. service members were killed in a helicopter accident in Pakistan.

CNN's Sheilah Kast is at the Pentagon. She now has the latest -- Sheilah.

SHEILAH KAST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Martin.

What we know about the crash is really very sketchy. The helicopter crashed in southwestern Pakistan about 15 or so miles south of the Afghan border in the Baluchistan region not far from a civil aviation airport which Pakistan has given permission to be used by U.S. troops.

U.S. officials have said this particular helicopter was not one that had entered Afghanistan in the special forces combat operation earlier. The sources said all those helicopters left Afghanistan safely.

So apparently this was a search and rescue helicopter playing a support role. The Pentagon has not made clear exactly what happened to it. We're trying to find out what unit it belonged to and what type of helicopter it was. And, of course, the Pentagon is not releasing, not identifying the service personnel who were killed until their families have been notified -- Martin.

SAVIDGE: CNN's Sheilah Kast at the Pentagon, thank you very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com