Two Dutch United Nations peacekeepers were killed
when their Apache attack helicopter crashed in
northern Mali, the Dutch military said, calling it an
accident.
The helicopter, from the UN’s MINUSMA mission,
crashed about 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Gao, a
source from the city’s airport told AFP, adding that
two people were injured and subsequently died.
Top Dutch defence commander, General Tom
Middendorp, later confirmed the crash at a press
conference in The Hague.
“This afternoon around 1300 GMT a Dutch Apache
attack helicopter crashed in Mali,” Middendorp said.
“A 30-year-old captain and 26-year-old first lieutenant
died in the accident.”
Middendorp said Dutch investigators were probing the
crash.
The captain died on impact, while the first lieutenant
died of his wounds shortly afterwards at a French
military field hospital in Gao, Middendorp added.
Both men were members of 301 Squadron based in
Gilze-Rijen airbase in southern Netherlands.
MINUSMA has some 11,000 personnel on the ground in
Mali, around 670 of whom come from the Netherlands.
With more than 40 peacekeepers killed since its
inception in 2013, MINUSMA is considered the most
dangerous UN mission in the world, particularly for the
Chadian contingent, which has sustained a large
proportion of the casualties.
In a statement, the UN Security Council called it a
“tragic accident” and sent condolences to the families
of the dead and the Dutch government.
PUNCH NG
when their Apache attack helicopter crashed in
northern Mali, the Dutch military said, calling it an
accident.
The helicopter, from the UN’s MINUSMA mission,
crashed about 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Gao, a
source from the city’s airport told AFP, adding that
two people were injured and subsequently died.
Top Dutch defence commander, General Tom
Middendorp, later confirmed the crash at a press
conference in The Hague.
“This afternoon around 1300 GMT a Dutch Apache
attack helicopter crashed in Mali,” Middendorp said.
“A 30-year-old captain and 26-year-old first lieutenant
died in the accident.”
Middendorp said Dutch investigators were probing the
crash.
The captain died on impact, while the first lieutenant
died of his wounds shortly afterwards at a French
military field hospital in Gao, Middendorp added.
Both men were members of 301 Squadron based in
Gilze-Rijen airbase in southern Netherlands.
MINUSMA has some 11,000 personnel on the ground in
Mali, around 670 of whom come from the Netherlands.
With more than 40 peacekeepers killed since its
inception in 2013, MINUSMA is considered the most
dangerous UN mission in the world, particularly for the
Chadian contingent, which has sustained a large
proportion of the casualties.
In a statement, the UN Security Council called it a
“tragic accident” and sent condolences to the families
of the dead and the Dutch government.
PUNCH NG
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