Two dead in US military helicopter crash

A US military attack helicopter crashed into a mountain road on Monday in South Korea’s Gangwon province, leaving two people dead, officials said.

The helicopter, believed to be an AH-64 Apache, crashed in the city of Wonju, about 70 kilometres (42 miles) southeast of Seoul, a US military spokesman told AFP.

A firefighter in Wonju said the crash took place at 6:22 pm (0922 GMT) near the house of the resident who first reported the accident to police.

“The helicopter was burnt to ashes after catching fire,” he said, adding two pilots died at the scene.

The firefighter said the exact cause of the crash was unknown.

Some 28,000 US troops are stationed in South Korea under a mutual defence pact dating back to the 1950-53 Korean War.