U.S. Helicopter Crew Presumed Dead

(RFE/RL) April 2, 2006 -- The U.S. military in Iraq says an Apache helicopter that crashed southwest of Baghdad on April 1 is believed to have been shot down, and its crew of two are presumed dead.

The military statement said efforts to recover the bodies continue.

It said the aircraft was conducting a combat air patrol when it came under hostile fire.

Earlier on April 2, an Iraqi insurgent group claimed responsibility for the attack in an unconfirmed statement published on the Internet.

(AFP, AP)