Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, July 2, 1994 TAG: 9407040118
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Short
Twenty-six people were killed in the April 14 incident.
The pilots mistook the choppers for Iraqi aircraft. As they were being given the go-ahead to attack by controllers aboard an AWACS radar plane, other controllers apparently were aware that the helicopters were not hostile, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
``The report cites multiple human error,'' said one of the officials, adding that responsibility for the accident is being put on at least eight people.
The helicopters were ferrying officials from several nations on a mission supporting U.N. humanitarian relief efforts on behalf of Kurds in northern Iraq.
Fifteen of the dead were military officers from the United States; three from Turkey; two from Britain and one from France. Five Kurdish passengers also were killed.
White House spokeswoman Dee Dee Myers said Friday that President Clinton is aware of the findings of the report, which was delivered this week to Defense Secretary William Perry.
As soon as Perry has a chance to review it and ``make some determinations about what actions need to be taken, then he'll be in a position to brief the president,'' Myers added, noting that the report is not yet final.
Given the gravity of the incident, it is expected that it will be up to Perry to determine the punishment for the incident, the officials said.
Keywords:
FATALITY
by CNB