US soldiers killed in helicopter crash in Iraq

Baghdad: Seven US soldiers were killed in a helicopter crash in southern Iraq on Thursday, the US military said.

A statement released by the military says the CH-47 Chinook was landing after midnight on Wednesday about 60 miles west of Basra at the time of the crash.

A spokesman for the Multi-National Force-Iraq said five soldiers died, and the bodies of two soldiers who had originally been missing were found.

The spokesman said hostile fire was not suspected.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorised to provide details.

The chopper was a part of an aerial convoy flying from Kuwait to the US military base at Balad just north of Baghdad.

Separately, the military said a US soldier died of noncombat-related causes on Wednesday.