US military helicopter crashes off coast of Yemen

Sanaa Aug 27 (IANS) A US military Black Hawk helicopter crashed off the southern coast of Yemen while training its crew leaving one service member missing the media reported on Saturday.

Five others aboard the aircraft were rescued the report said adding the crash took place Friday evening Xinhua reported.

The reported cited the US army source as saying that this was a routine training event.

Yemen located on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula is engulfed in the years-long civil war.

The war pits Shiite rebels known as Houthis and their allies against a Saudi-led coalition backing the country s internationally recognized government.

The UShas provided targeting and logistical support to the Saudi-led coalition which faces criticism over its airstrikes killing civilians in the conflict.

--IANS
ahm/