Four U.S. Marines drowned on Friday as the tank they were in fell off a cliff and into a canal, U.S. military sources said. American sources say the four did not die as a result of enemy fire.
The four killed were from Regimental Combat Team 5 and were traveling in a U.S. M1A1 Main Battle Tank near Karmah, 50 miles west of Baghdad in Anbar province. This is the part of Iraq known as the Sunni Triangle.
'We are a close-knit family and this loss affects us all,' said U.S. Colonel Larry D. Nicholson, commanding officer of Regimental Combat Team 5. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of these Marines during this difficult period.'
No additional information about the incident was being released by the military at this time although the tank incident is still under investigation.
As a result of these latest deaths, at least 12 American troops have died this week in Iraq.
On Thursday, three American soldiers were killed when roadside bombs hit two convoys southwest of Baghdad. One additional American soldier died Tuesday from what were described as 'non-combat' wounds.
These recent deaths raise the number of American military personnel killed in Iraq to at least 2,434.
