Military helicopter crashes in Iraq, killing 8

Baghdad: An Iraqi military helicopter crashed in northern Iraq, killing an American soldier and seven other people, the US military said on Tuesday.

The Russian-made M-17 helicopter was found on Tuesday south of Beiji, a day after it was reported missing. The Iraqi Defence Ministry said the aircraft got caught in bad weather.

An Iraqi air force official said six Iraqis and two foreigners were on board. The official did not give the nationality of the other foreigner.

All eight people on board the helicopter died, said military spokesman Lieutenant Michael Street, but added that he was unaware that another foreigner was aboard the helicopter.