Puma prang in NI
 

A puma has crashed near Jonesboro in South Armagh. Details at:. .. . <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/northern_ireland/newsid_1876000/1876178.stm" target="_blank">BBC news page link</a>

Here's hoping everyone is not too badly injured..thinking of you bog-based-boys.

ITV TELETEXT:. .. .TROOPS HURT IN HELICOPTER CRASH . . . .Eight people have been airlifted to hospital after an RAF helicopter crashed into a mountain in N Ireland. . . . .The Puma helicopter was carrying troops to an Army watchtower when it went down near the village of Jonesborough close to the Irish border in South Armagh. . . . .There were no reports of any deaths and the injured were taken to the nearby Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry Co Down. . .. .T_M <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="confused.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="confused.gif" />. . . . <small>[ 16 March 2002, 15:32: Message edited by: Tiger_mate ]</small>

Any one got any news about the boys? Hope everyone is OK. Thinking about you.

BBC 2 news reporting four of the injured are serious, here's hoping that's not the case.. .. .Hate hearing these reports, always makes me cringe. Best of luck to the chaps involved, wishing you a speedy recovery.

My prayers are with all who were injured, thank God it's not worse <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" /> . .. .I saw one of the locals saying it was an "accident waiting to happen" and there was a near miss a week or two ago when, in heavy fog, a chopper almost landed on a house. The locals feel the heli movements must stop. What's your opinion? Personally, as a southerner, I have to empathise with 'em, but then again, I don't empathize with the phsycos wo read too much of Yeats up there, and if this is what's needed to keep 'em at bay, then so be it. Just be careful up there!. . . . <small>[ 16 March 2002, 18:57: Message edited by: Nose Indiana Groond ]</small>

A 'sauce' tells me that wires were likely to have been the cause....and that the crew are ok, but two of the pax are serious..whatever that means.

Apparently another helicopter had to ditch its underslung cargo on the same spot earlier this month. Are there problems on that hill for pilots as they make their approach?

Monoman the U/S load incident you refer to was not intentional. The hook opened without aircrew intent and our rations have not been seen since. All the more surprising because the chicken supreme is not to everyones liking.

Nose,. .. .These are the same locals who have been placing booby traps and culvert bombs all over there own area for the last 30 years. Let's not forget Sth Armagh is still the home for dissident republican groups. As a poor sap who spent too much time there I would gladly get rid of all helicopters in the area. Just as soon as the R/CIRA give up and law and order can be restored.. .. .As we used to say "There are no civilians in South Armagh".

"JEEP". .At least it will give the locals something other than spuds to eat!!!!!!!!

An interesting site with all the answers, or so they claim.. .. . <a href="http://www.safrc.com" target="_blank">Old Mcdonald site</a> . .. .At least we now know what happened to the rations, and some very interesting border incursions.. .. .Rumour has it that well known local fellows have pilfered a few gizzits from the site, and probably have them displayed in their cellar bars ready for happy hour.