By Xinhua
Tikrit, Iraq : An Iraqi transport helicopter went missing in desert area at the northwestern edges of Salahudin province on Monday after being caught by dust storm, U.S. and Iraqi liaison office said on Tuesday.
“A Russian Mi-17 went missing at around 16:00 p.m. local time (1300 GMT) yesterday after conducting precautionary landing in a desert area located some 35 km northwest of Beiji town, some 200 km north of Baghdad,” the source from the Joint Coordination Center (JCC) told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
“We have lost contact with the crew during the sandstorm, and the last thing we heard of them that they were doing emergency landing,” the source said.
U.S. and Iraqi forces are searching for the missing helicopter, which carry 32 passengers and two crew, he said.
The source could not provide further details about the incident, saying an investigation is underway.