22 Service Members Injured in MH-47 Hard Landing in Syria
According to reports, an Army Delta Force command unit was on board the Chinook at the time of the incident.
A MH-47 Chinook in flight. [Courtesy: U.S. Army]
An investigation is underway after nearly two dozen U.S. service members were injured earlier this week in what Department of Defense officials called a "helicopter mishap."
The incident, which occurred in northeastern Syria on Sunday, "resulted in injuries of various degrees," according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) based at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.
According to reports, the mishap involved a MH-47 Chinook helicopter with an Army Delta Force command unit on board.
"The service members are receiving treatment for their injuries, and 10 have been evacuated to higher care facilities outside of the CENTCOM AOR [area of responsibility],” CENTCOM said. "The cause of the incident is under investigation, although no enemy fire was reported."
The Chinook went down during good weather, sources told The New York Times.
According to a Pentagon spokesperson, the helicopter "had a problem with one rotor that caused a hard landing during takeoff."
The service members evacuated to Germany did not sustain life-threatening injuries, a spokesperson for Landstuhl Regional Medical Center told Stars and Stripes on Wednesday.
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