Helicopters crashed 'under fire'

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Two US military helicopters destroyed in Iraq last month crashed while under enemy fire, the Pentagon has admitted.

The US Department of Defense originally said it believed the collision of the two OH-58 Kiowa scout helicopters had not been caused by an attack.

But an investigation has shown the two helicopters collided while trying to evade fire from the ground.

Four American pilots died in the incident, which took place near the northern city of Kirkuk.

A Sunni nationalist group had claimed on an extremist website that they shot down the two helicopters.

Aircrew memorial

"The two OH-58D helicopters were engaged and struck by hostile fire while conducting a reconnaissance mission," military spokeswoman Julie Cupernall was quoted by the Associated Press (AP).

The cause of the collision was released as Fort Drum, a New York state military base, held a memorial for the four aircrew killed in the incident.

There are about 142,000 US military personnel deployed in Iraq. Most are due to withdraw from Iraq by 2010 and all will be gone by the end of 2011, US President Barack Obama has said.

The last fatal crash involving US military aircraft happened in September 2008.

A CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed about 96km (60 miles) west of the city of Basra, killing seven US soldiers.