KABUL - Sixteen people have been confirmed dead and two are missing after a US military helicopter crashed in southeastern Afghanistan Wednesday, the US military said, updating the death toll from nine.
"Sixteen people have now been confirmed dead in the crash of a Coalition CH-47 transport helicopter near Ghazni on Wednesday afternoon," said a US military statement issued in the Afghan capital, Kabul.
"Eighteen people, including crew members and passengers, were listed on the flight manifest; two remain unaccounted for," the statement said.
"Recovery operations have ended for the night due to darkness and weather conditions," it added.
The US blamed bad weather for the crash of the giant twin-rotor Chinook, which came down while on patrol in Ghazni province, around 100 kilometres (62 miles) south of the capital Kabul.
04/06/2005 16:21 GMT