Medevac copter crashes, killing 9

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ABU GHRAIB, Iraq -- A clearly marked medevac helicopter crashed, killing nine American soldiers near Fallujah yesterday, even as the U.S.-led occupation authority readied prisoners for release as part of a "goodwill" gesture toward its critics.

Military officials said they still were investigating the cause of the crash, but a witness told the Associated Press that he saw a rocket hit the tail of the Black Hawk copter, which clearly was marked with a red cross.

Coalition officials also said a C-5 cargo plane with 63 persons on board was forced to make an emergency landing at Baghdad International Airport after being hit by enemy fire early yesterday.

The military also reported the death of an American soldier wounded Wednesday, one of more than 30 who were injured when a barrage of mortars hit a logistical base west of Baghdad.

Meanwhile, the Washington bureau of Japan's Kyodo news agency reported that the United States will dispatch U.S. Marines based in Okinawa to Iraq as early as February, citing diplomatic sources. About 46,000 U.S. troops are based in Okinawa.

At the scene of the helicopter downing, Mohammed Ahmed al-Jamali, a 27-year-old farmer, told AP that he heard a whoosh and saw a rocket hit the tail of the helicopter before it crashed near his farm. He said he rushed to the site but found everyone dead.

Another witness, student Waleed Kurdi, 23, said he heard "a loud explosion" before the helicopter broke in two and crashed.

The transport plane reported excessive vibrations in one of its engines before landing safely at Baghdad International Airport, according to the Air Force. A brief statement said later the engine appeared to have exploded as a result of "hostile action from the ground."

Fallujah, 30 miles west of Baghdad, has been a hotbed of violent anti-American resistance since shortly after the defeat of Iraqi forces in April. Insurgents there shot down an American OH-58 Kiowa observation helicopter a week ago, killing one pilot and injuring another.