US Air Force copter crashes in England, 4 killed

LONDON (AP) — A U.S. Air Force Pave Hawk helicopter crashed in the coastal marshes of eastern England during a training mission Tuesday night, killing all four crew members aboard, officials said.

The helicopter crashed about 6 p.m. local time near Salthouse on the Norfolk coast, a statement from the Air Force said. The aircraft was based at the nearby Royal Air Force station in Lakenheath, Suffolk County, which hosts USAF units and personnel.

The helicopter, assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing, was flying low at the time of the crash, the statement added.

In Washington, a U.S. defense official said the accident killed the four Air Force crew members aboard. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the crash publicly.

Local police in Norfolk County also said they believed all four crew had died. It said family members will be notified before details and names of the victims can be released.