Military helicopter crashes into TV tower in Georgia, U.S. killing four

Thursday, June 1, 2006  A United States military MH-47 Chinook helicopter has crashed in Colquitt County, Georgia after clipping a wire connected to the WFXL television tower. It is not known whether the wire was the cause of the crash, or if the helicopter was having problems prior to the incident.

According to Lisa Eichhorn, a spokeswoman for Fort Rucker, Alabama, at least 5 soldiers were on board the helicopter. Four of the five soldiers have been killed. The surviving soldier only suffered cuts on his hands and above his eye. The names of the victims are not known and the military says they will not release any names for at least 24 hours after family members have been reached.

Authorities also say that the 1,000 foot tower "has a conspicuous tilt," said Ken Clubb, a chief engineer on the scene of the crash.

Reporters and onlookers were being kept from the scene mainly as a result of the possibility that the tower may collapse. A reporter for WTXL, an ABC affiliate out of Tallahassee, FL was arrested at the scene.

Investigators from Ft. Rucker, where the chopper was scheduled to land, were en route to the scene.

Sources

• "Military helicopter crashes in south Georgia, killing four" — Access North Georgia, June 1, 2006

• "US Army helicopter crashes in south Georgia" — WIS, June 1, 2006

• "4 dead in military copter crash in Georgia" — USA Today, June 1, 2006

• Associated Press. "Military Helicopter Crashes in South Ga." — Forbes, June 1, 2006

• "Fort Rucker investigators enroute to chopper crash" — WALB, June 1, 2006

• "Four soldiers killed in copter crash" — CNN, June 1, 2006