Wainwright soldiers hurt in Iraq crash

ANCHORAGE (AP) Five Fort Wainwright soldiers were injured when their helicopter crashed in Iraq after losing power in both engines, military officials said Monday.

None of the injuries was life-threatening, according to officials.

Army spokesperson Maj. Kirk Gohlke said the CH-47 Chinook was flying at about 500 feet when it ran into trouble early Sunday morning in Iraq. Gohlke said he didn't know the nature of the crew's mission at the time.

Officials said the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing without power south of Samarra, a former insurgent stronghold 60 miles north of Baghdad.

The helicopter sustained significant damage, according to Fort Wainwright spokesperson Linda Douglass. Officials said they were waiting for the soldiers' consent to release their names and conditions.

Two on board the helicopter have been flown to Germany for further treatment. Another soldier was hospitalized overnight for observation and two others were treated and released.

The soldiers are assigned to Company B, Fourth Battalion, 123rd Aviation Regiment at Fort Wainwright, located near Fairbanks. They began a 12-month tour of Iraq at the first of the year, Gohlke said.

The crash is under investigation.

Meanwhile, a Fort Richardson soldier was injured in an explosion in Afghanistan last week, officials said.

The sergeant was not seriously injured in the explosion last week in Wech Baktu, according to officials.

The soldier, whose name has not been released, was a gunner on a recovery mission when the explosion occurred.

The soldier was deployed to Afghanistan last month with Company C, 864th Engineer Battalion, officials said.