U.S. forces in Afghan crash were on rescue mission

The 30 American service members - most of them elite Navy SEALs - who died when their helicopter was shot down had rushed to help Army Rangers who had come under fire, two U.S. officials said Sunday.

Some of the SEALs who died Saturday were from the same unit that killed Osama bin Laden three months ago, although none of the men took part in that mission.

There were conflicting accounts late Sunday as to whether the SEAL team had subdued the attackers who had pinned down the Rangers and were departing, or whether they were hit as they tried to land.

Thirty Americans and eight Afghans were killed in the crash, making it the deadliest single loss for U.S. forces in the decadelong war in Afghanistan. The Rangers, special operations forces who work regularly with the SEALs, secured the crash site in the Tangi Joy Zarin area of Wardak province, about 60 miles southwest of Kabul.


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