- Title: Germany says no indications Mali copter crash caused by attack
- Date: 26th July 2017
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (JULY 26, 2017) (REUTERS) GERMAN DEFENCE MINISTER URSULA VON DER LEYEN AND VICE ADMIRAL JOACHIM RUEHLE, DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE ARMED FORCES APPROACHING CAMERAS JOURNALISTS FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN DEFENCE MINISTER URSULA VON DER LEYEN SAYING "A few hours ago we received initial information about a crash involving a helicopter in Mali. We now have the sad certainty that two Bundeswehr soldiers have given their lives in the service of our country. Their mission was contributing to our safety, they were on a peace mission with the United Nations when their helicopter crashed. The death of these men while serving our country hits us deeply and makes us terribly sad. I bow to the achievement and sacrifice of these two soldiers." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN DEFENCE MINISTER URSULA VON DER LEYEN SAYING "I would like to tell the families and relatives that we are at their side at this bitter time, and we mourn with you. The German Army will support you. I have spoken to the German Chancellor (Angela Merkel) and she has told me to pass on her deepest sympathy." CAMERAMAN (SOUNDBITE) (German) VICE ADMIRAL JOACHIM RUEHLE, DEPUTY INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE ARMED FORCES, SAYING "There was no emergency signal given by the unfortunate crew. The crashed helicopter is completely burned out and there were no survivors. The cause of the crash is completely open. There is no evidence at this point of any outside factors." SIGN READING: 'WE.SERVE.GERMANY." VON DER LEYEN AND RUEHLE WALK AWAY
- Embargoed: 9th August 2017 22:05
- Keywords: German military helicopter crash Mali U.N. Von der Leyen
- Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
- City: BERLIN, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Air Accidents,Disaster/Accidents
- Reuters ID: LVA0016RCVL1J
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: There is no indication any outside forces were involved in the military helicopter crash in Mali in which two German peacekeepers were killed on a U.N. mission on Wednesday, a German military officer said.
"The reason for the crash is still completely open. There is no evidence at this point of any outside factors," Vice Admiral Joachim Ruehle, deputy inspector general of the armed forces, told reporters.
German military investigators will head to the scene on Thursday to search for the helicopter's flight data recorder, he said.
The Tiger helicopter crashed around 1220 GMT, about 70 km (45 miles) north of Gao, burning out completely with no survivors. The crash was reported by a second helicopter following in the mission.
All routine flights by other Tiger helicopters would be suspended indefinitely, he said. Only flights deemed necessary for "life and limb" would be conducted, with each decision to be made on a case-by-case basis.
"We now have the sad certainty that two soldiers have given their lives in the service of our country," German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen told a news conference in Berlin. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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