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American Spy Drone Crashes While On Patrol In Southern Philippines

Filipino local natives arrive first at the crash site of an American unmanned aerial vehicle or spyplane off the coast of Recodo in Zamboanga City 31 March 2002, southern Philippines. The spyplane is used to track down Abu Sayyaf bandits in the Basilan Island holding the American and Filipino hostages. AFP Photo by Conrado Maralit Copyright AFP 2002.

Zamboanga (AFP) Mar 31, 2002
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used by United States forces in operations against local allies of the al-Qaeda group crashed into waters off the southern Philippines Sunday, officials said.

"... a UAV on a routine training flight made an emergency water landing off the coast of Zamboanga... at 9:27 AM (0127 GMT)," said Major Cynthia Teramae, spokeswoman for US forces taking part in joint operations in this country.

Teramae said the unmanned drone was recovered almost intact by Philippine and American navy divers. Philippine military sources said the wings had been damaged in the crashlanding.

Zamboanga villagers said they saw the aircraft flying normally overhead when it suddenly went down in the waters near their homes.

Teramae said that "at the request of the government of the Philippines, UAVs are providing routine aerial surveillance of the southern Philippines in support of the ongoing combined US and Philippine (shoulder-to-shoulder) training mission," adding an investigation into the crash would be launched.

The drone was part of the technical assistance the US military is providing to Philippine troops in joint operations against the Abu Sayyaf Muslim kidnapping group in the nearby southern island of Basilan.

Teramae said the drone's crash will not affect the continuing operations against the Abu Sayyaf, a group which has been linked by both countries to the al-Qaeda network of terror mastermind Osama bin Laden.

The Abu Sayyaf, blamed for a series of kidnappings for ransom of foreigners and Christians, are still holding an American missionary couple and a Filipina nurse in Basilan.

The Philippine military has previously credited the drone and US reconnaissance aircraft with helping local troops close in on the Abu Sayyaf band in Basilan, leading to a spate of clashes.

The crash was the second accident involving US aircraft taking part in the six-month long joint exercises in the south which started in late January.

A US MH-47 helicopter crashed in the waters of the central Philippines on February 22 with the loss of all 10 American servicemen aboard. So far, only eight of the bodies have been recovered.

Teramae would not say if another UAV would be sent over to replace the one that crashed. She earlier said that more than one drone had been dispatched to the southern Philippines as part of the joint exercises which include the deployment of 660 US personnel.

The US deployment includes 160 Special Forces personnel in Basilan who are helping Filipino troops track the Abu Sayyaf as part of the worldwide campaign against terror groups following the September 11 attack in the United States.

American troops advise and train local forces in hunting the Abu Sayyaf but are not allowed to engage in combat except in self-defense.

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