Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BASRAH72
2006-05-08 11:48:00
CONFIDENTIAL
REO Basrah
how-toVZCZCXRO6897 OO RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHMOS DE RUEHBC #0072 1281148 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O P 081148Z MAY 06 FM REO BASRAH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0336 INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC RUEHBC/REO BASRAH 0355
C O N F I D E N T I A L BASRAH 000072
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/8/2016
TAGS: PTER PGOV PREL IZ
SUBJECT: BRITISH HELO CRASH IN BASRAH
CLASSIFIED BY: Kenneth E. Gross, Regional Coordinator, Basrah
Regional Embassy Office, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (d)
CLASSIFIED BY: Kenneth E. Gross, Regional Coordinator, Basrah
Regional Embassy Office, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L BASRAH 000072
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/8/2016
TAGS: PTER PGOV PREL IZ
SUBJECT: BRITISH HELO CRASH IN BASRAH
CLASSIFIED BY: Kenneth E. Gross, Regional Coordinator, Basrah
Regional Embassy Office, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (d)
CLASSIFIED BY: Kenneth E. Gross, Regional Coordinator, Basrah
Regional Embassy Office, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (d)
1. (C) Summary: On the afternoon of May 6, a British Lynx
helicopter with five individuals was shot down as it departed
the Basrah Palace Compound (BPC). The helicopter crashed in the
city and hostile crowds hampered the subsequent recovery effort
by British forces. The city was under curfew during the evening
of May 6-7, and no major incidents occurred overnight. The
missing body of the fifth casualty was discovered on May 7 under
the helicopter when it was removed by the British military. End
Summary.
2, (C) The Deputy Regional Coordinator (DRC) witnessed a
trajectory of a missile fired from the opposite side of the
Shatt al-Arab River that hit the Lynx soon after it departed the
landing zone on the British side of the BPC. The Lynx crashed
in a middle class neighborhood of Basrah, close to the residence
of a Basrah Regional Embassy Office (REO) local staff member.
She reported hostile crowds attacked British forces that had
arrived on the scene and attempted to loot houses in the area.
A QRF was launched by Triple Canopy (TC) in the event that
there were Americans on board the downed helicopter. Once the
REO confirmed that no Americans had been on board, the QRF
returned to the REO. Subsequently, the 17th U.K. Battle Group
Commander requested assistance from the REO for Hurst extraction
equipment. TC vehicles and personnel with the equipment
escorted by British military vehicles went to the crash site.
Upon arrival, however, the British military told TC that the
equipment was not needed, and TC returned without incident to
the REO.
3. (C) Although May 7 has been relatively calm, the Basrah
Governor requested that the press conference to announce the end
of the British boycott (septel) be moved from the Provincial
Council building to the British Consulate. Before the press
event began, U.K. Brigadier General James Everard told the
Regional Coordinator that the wreckage of the helicopter had
been removed and the missing body of the fifth casualty was
found underneath it. The crash scene remained quiet on May 7,
with no reports of incidents between the British military and
Basrah residents.
GROSS
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/8/2016
TAGS: PTER PGOV PREL IZ
SUBJECT: BRITISH HELO CRASH IN BASRAH
CLASSIFIED BY: Kenneth E. Gross, Regional Coordinator, Basrah
Regional Embassy Office, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (d)
CLASSIFIED BY: Kenneth E. Gross, Regional Coordinator, Basrah
Regional Embassy Office, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (d)
1. (C) Summary: On the afternoon of May 6, a British Lynx
helicopter with five individuals was shot down as it departed
the Basrah Palace Compound (BPC). The helicopter crashed in the
city and hostile crowds hampered the subsequent recovery effort
by British forces. The city was under curfew during the evening
of May 6-7, and no major incidents occurred overnight. The
missing body of the fifth casualty was discovered on May 7 under
the helicopter when it was removed by the British military. End
Summary.
2, (C) The Deputy Regional Coordinator (DRC) witnessed a
trajectory of a missile fired from the opposite side of the
Shatt al-Arab River that hit the Lynx soon after it departed the
landing zone on the British side of the BPC. The Lynx crashed
in a middle class neighborhood of Basrah, close to the residence
of a Basrah Regional Embassy Office (REO) local staff member.
She reported hostile crowds attacked British forces that had
arrived on the scene and attempted to loot houses in the area.
A QRF was launched by Triple Canopy (TC) in the event that
there were Americans on board the downed helicopter. Once the
REO confirmed that no Americans had been on board, the QRF
returned to the REO. Subsequently, the 17th U.K. Battle Group
Commander requested assistance from the REO for Hurst extraction
equipment. TC vehicles and personnel with the equipment
escorted by British military vehicles went to the crash site.
Upon arrival, however, the British military told TC that the
equipment was not needed, and TC returned without incident to
the REO.
3. (C) Although May 7 has been relatively calm, the Basrah
Governor requested that the press conference to announce the end
of the British boycott (septel) be moved from the Provincial
Council building to the British Consulate. Before the press
event began, U.K. Brigadier General James Everard told the
Regional Coordinator that the wreckage of the helicopter had
been removed and the missing body of the fifth casualty was
found underneath it. The crash scene remained quiet on May 7,
with no reports of incidents between the British military and
Basrah residents.
GROSS