Iraqi Air Force aircraft crashes in eastern Iraq
Last Update: Tuesday, May 31, 2005. 5:18am (AEST)

An Iraqi Air Force aircraft has crashed north-east of Baghdad close to the Iranian border with four US military personnel and an Iraqi on board, the US military said in a statement.

Sources said the aircraft went down during a sandstorm near the town of Khanaqin shortly before noon local time.

It was not immediately clear if the aircraft was a helicopter or fixed-wing plane.

The US military said forces in the area had secured the crash site.

It did not say whether those on board had survived
.
"They are at the site now trying to ascertain what the situation is," a spokeswoman for the US military in Baghdad said.

"We don't yet know what caused the aircraft to go down - it's all under investigation."

- Reuters

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200505/s1380567.htm