31 US soldiers killed in Iraq helicopter crash: reports
"A US Marine Corps transport helicopter crashed January 26 at approximately 1:20 am (2220 GMT Tuesday) near Ar Rutbah while conducting security and stabilization operations," the military said in a statement.Since the US invasion of Iraq in March 2003, at least 23 US aircraft have crashed in the country, killing 48 soldiers.On January 8, 2004, nine soldiers were killed when their Black Hawk helicopter came under attack near Fallujah, west of Baghdad. Since then, eight other soldiers have died in helicopter crashes.