Defense Ministry spokesman: Black Hawk helicopter forced into emergency landing by technical malfunction

Defense Ministry spokesman Constantin Spinu said that the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that was doing a rehearsal flight today over Bucharest as part of a joint drill of the Romanian and the US Air Forces, reported a technical malfunction that forced it into an emergency landing.

"According to preliminary data there are no damages other than what can be seen - two light posts knocked over and two cars hit by the posts in the fall. The incident caused no victims, and its causes are to be determined by an investigation conducted jointly by the Romanian Air Force and the US military authorities that own the aircraft. The Romanian judicial authorities are at the site. During the day, the American side will issue a press release detailing the information known so far," Spinu said.

Asked if other Black Hawk helicopters in Romania have been grounded following this incident, Constantin Spinu said that at this moment he has "no information about the nature of this incident, or about the measures that will be taken by the American side."

"There are no victims, the crew is in very good condition. The incident produced no other consequences, but Mr. Prosecutor will be able to tell you more. I do not know the course of events. The judicial investigation will definitely look at all these aspects," said the spokesman for the National Defense Ministry.