US helicopter crashes in Baghdad

It is not clear what caused the helicopter to crash

A US Army helicopter has crashed in south-west Baghdad but the fate of the crew was not immediately known, the US military says.

US military officials do not think the helicopter was hit by hostile fire, but are still investigating, Lt Col James Hutton told the Associated Press.

The Kiowa observation craft normally carries a small number of people.

On Wednesday, 31 US troops died after a helicopter came down in bad weather in western Iraq.

This was the biggest single loss of life in Iraq since the beginning of the US-led invasion in March 2003.

This type of helicopter is thought to normally carry a crew of about two or three people.

Ground units were at the scene, but the status of the crew was still unknown, Lt Col Hutton said.

Other helicopters were flying overhead in the area, to provide cover for the ground search-and-rescue units, he added.