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Helicopter Crash in Vietnam Kills Seven Americans

Aired April 07, 2001 - 13:54   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: We want to let you know a little more information about the story we told you about in this last hour here on CNN about a helicopter crash in Vietnam. Our Eileen O'Connor is at the Pentagon with more information for us -- Eileen.

EILEEN O'CONNOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Pentagon officials, Donna, say that the helicopter crashed with seven members of joint task force full accounting on board. All seven Americans are dead. Names are being withheld until they can notify next of kin.

They say that this task force -- their mission is to look for people who are missing in action from the Vietnam war, Americans missing in action from the Vietnam war. The helicopter carried about 20 people in total. We do not know the specifics of the crash, why it crashed, where specifically over Vietnam it crashed. We are going to be getting those details very soon from the Pacific Command, and I will let you know as soon as I get them -- Donna.

KELLEY: Eileen, can you confirm for us the numbers? I have seen two different sets of numbers. You say, seven Americans, but then the total number of people on the helicopter -- I've seen two different numbers.

O'CONNOR: I was seeing 20, and also, Pentagon official said they thought 16, but they weren't sure if it was 16 or 20. But it is seven Americans who were killed, and seven Americans among those on board were killed. This helicopter, though, carried more than just seven people, and about 20 was the number that I have been told.

KELLEY: All right, Eileen O'Connor. Those are the two numbers I've seen too.

Eileen O'Connor at the Pentagon, thanks very much.

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