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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Georgia army helicopter fired on | Georgia army helicopter fired on |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A Georgian military helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing after being shot at over the breakaway South Ossetia region, officials say. | |
| The aircraft was carrying the defence minister and deputy chief of staff. | The aircraft was carrying the defence minister and deputy chief of staff. |
| Earlier South Ossetia officials had said the helicopter was shot down after violating the region's airspace. | |
| South Ossetia has run its own affairs with Russian support since the war of the 1990s and has resisted moves by the Tbilisi government to rein it in. | South Ossetia has run its own affairs with Russian support since the war of the 1990s and has resisted moves by the Tbilisi government to rein it in. |
| Correspondents say tensions over South Ossetia have grown in recent months, with Russia accusing Georgia of inflaming the situation by calling for the withdrawal of Russian peacekeeping troops. | Correspondents say tensions over South Ossetia have grown in recent months, with Russia accusing Georgia of inflaming the situation by calling for the withdrawal of Russian peacekeeping troops. |
| 'Plunging' | 'Plunging' |
| The government said the aircraft was damaged and but managed a safe emergency landing in Georgian-controlled territory. | |
| For 10 to 15 minutes, we were actually plunging... But the experience of the pilot saved the helicopter Irakli Okruashvili Georgian Defence Minister | For 10 to 15 minutes, we were actually plunging... But the experience of the pilot saved the helicopter Irakli Okruashvili Georgian Defence Minister |
| "No-one died," Paata Bedianishvili, commander of the Georgian battalion in the joint peacekeeping force in the area, told Georgian TV. | "No-one died," Paata Bedianishvili, commander of the Georgian battalion in the joint peacekeeping force in the area, told Georgian TV. |
| Defence Minister Irakli Okruashvili said the Mi-8 helicopter had come under fire during a flight to western Georgia. | Defence Minister Irakli Okruashvili said the Mi-8 helicopter had come under fire during a flight to western Georgia. |
| "For 10 to 15 minutes, we were actually plunging," he said. | "For 10 to 15 minutes, we were actually plunging," he said. |
| "But the experience of the pilot saved the helicopter." | "But the experience of the pilot saved the helicopter." |
| Earlier, South Ossetian government spokeswoman Irina Gagloyeva said the helicopter had been shot down after ignoring repeated requests to change course or land. | Earlier, South Ossetian government spokeswoman Irina Gagloyeva said the helicopter had been shot down after ignoring repeated requests to change course or land. |
| She said the incident was the latest in a series of incursions. | She said the incident was the latest in a series of incursions. |