LONDON, Jan 31 (AFP) - A total of 10 military personnel died when a British transport plane crashed in Iraq, Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon said Monday.
Hoon said in a statement that nine Royal Air Force personnel and a soldier died in Sunday's crash of a flight between Baghdad International Airport and Balad airbase.
"It is with great regret that I can confirm that nine Royal Air Force personnel and one soldier are missing believed killed in yesterday's crash of an RAF C-130 Hercules in Iraq," Hoon said.
"On behalf of the Ministry of Defence and all the armed forces, I should like to extend my deepest sympathies to the families of these servicemen," he said.
"UK and US forces have secured the crash site, and are now recovering the bodies and attempting to ascertain the cause of the crash," Hoon added.
"We are aware of reports that the aircraft may have been shot down, but we are not in a position to come to any conclusions until the investigation is complete," he said.
"The deaths of these servicemen are especially poignant on a day when Iraqis were able to enjoy the freedom of democratic elections for the first time in many years," he said.
"I can only echo the sentiment of the prime minister in recognising the sacrifice of these servicemen."
01/31/2005 12:38 GMT - AFP