INITIAL REPORT OF AIRCRAFT AND PERSONNEL LOSS,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 003424 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR INL, INL/AP,SCA,AF E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR KCRM PREL PINS PTER AF SUBJECT: INITIAL REPORT OF AIRCRAFT AND PERSONNEL LOSS, INCLUDING 10 U.S. KIA - DURING COUNTER NARCOTICS MISSION ACTIVITIES ¶1. (U) This message is Sensitive But Unclassified: Please handle accordingly. ¶2. (SBU) Summary. In the morning of October 26, during a counternarcotics counterinsurgency operation in Badghis Province (northeast of Heart),a U.S. military CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed, leading to the deaths of ten U.S. personnel (3 DEA Special Agents and 7 U.S. Army Special Operations Forces). The helicopter was carrying 36 personnel (22 American, 14 Afghan National Army soldiers) at the time. The CH-47 that crashed was one of two U.S. military helicopters that had just conducted a joint operation (involving DEA, the U.S. Army Special Forces, the Afghan National Army and Counternarcotics Police-Afghanistan) at the Darreh-ye Bazaar in Qades District of Badghis Province. Of the 26 survivors of the crash, 13 are reported to be in critical condition while 13 are ambulatory. Family members of the deceased are (still) being notified. End summary. ¶3. (SBU) At approximately 0330 in the morning of October 26, a U.S. military CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed following a counternarcotics counterinsurgency nexus operation in the Qades District of Badghis Province. The DEA and the U.S. Army were conducting "Operation Lexington," which involved over 100 personnel, military close-air support, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations and aircraft; and Quick-Reaction Forces (QRF). Additionally, "Operation Lexington" utilized helicopter assault operations, including Afghan Forces. It was also executing Afghan search warrants for narcotics and weapons at Darreh-ye Bazaar, a major drug bazaar located approximately 150 kilometers northeast of Herat in the Qades District of Badghis Province. (Note: State Department INL helos were not involved in this operation.) Following completion of the operation at Darreh-ye Bazaar at approximately 2am, ground forces there called the aircraft to extract them from the site of the operation. Note: Surviving DEA Special Agents with the operation reported that significant amounts of narcotics and inprovised explosive devices were seized and destroyed at the site. ¶4. (SBU) Subsequent to that, at 0330, one of the two helicopters participating in the operation crashed. The CH-47 contained 36 personnel (including crew) - 22 Americans (8 DEA and 14 U.S. Army Special Forces) and 14 Afghans (Afghan National Army). Ten Americans (3 DEA and 7 U.S. Army Special Forces) died in the crash. No Afghans were killed in the crash. Following the crash, all 26 survivors were evacuated; 13 were reported as being in critical condition while the remaining 13 were classified as walking wounded. All 26 injured were flown by the second helicopter (which suffered no damage) to a hospital in Herat Province; the 13 in critical condition were then transported by C-130 to a trauma unit at Bragram Airfield north of Kabul. ¶5. (SBU) At this time there has been no determination as to why the helicopter went down, and whether the reason was mechanical failure, hostile enemy fire, or other. On-site DEA personnel have confirmed that seven enemy forces targeted in the operation were also killed when the helicopter crashed. ¶6. (SBU) DEA Assistant Regional Director, Kabul Country Office, was notified by Carson Ullrich, team leader of the DEA FAST team based in Kandahar, of the crash at 0430. The operation to secure the target-site is ongoing. All reported casualties are United States citizens, including: Air Crewmen, U.S. Army Special Forces, and DEA Special Agents. ¶7. (SBU) Remains of all 10 deceased individuals will be transported to Bagram Airfield on a C-130 aircraft. A "Ramp Ceremony" to receive the remains will be held at Bagram in the morning of October 27, and will be attended by Ambassador Ricciardone and senior members of the Embassy Country Team, including the leadership of the DEA Kabul Country Team Office. The remains will then be transported to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware later that day. KABUL 00003424 002 OF 002 ¶8. (SBU) The families of the deceased will be notified by DEA and DOD in the morning hours (EST) of October 26. ¶9. (SBU) The Embassy has issued the following press guidance in response to press inquiries that have already come in: October 26, 2009 U.S. Embassy Statement on Helicopter Crash in Western Afghanistan Today the U.S. Embassy mourns the loss of three civilian members of the Embassy community and seven members of the U.S. military, who were killed in a helicopter crash in western Afghanistan. The helicopter, carrying Afghan security forces, U.S. military and U.S. civilians, crashed for unknown reasons. Fourteen Afghan security personnel, 11 U.S. military personnel, and one American civilian were also injured in this crash, We wish for a speedy recovery for those injured today, and send thoughts and sympathies to those families who lost loved ones. EIKENBERRY