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Global

French army helicopter in Gabon crash


    PARIS (Reuters) - A French army helicopter crashed into the sea off the Gabon coast while on a bilateral military exercise, and the French Defence Ministry said on Sunday that two soldiers were killed and six were missing.

    The helicopter, which had a total of 10 soldiers on board, was an AS 532 Cougar. Two soldiers were rescued.

    "It was an accident but we're still trying to find out the reasons," said a Defence Ministry spokesman.

    French President Nicolas Sarkozy has asked Defence Minister Herve Morin to go to the scene.

    (Reporting by Guy Kerivel and Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Louise Ireland)