VOA常速英语2007年-UN Helicopter Crashes in Liberia, Two Dead

By Kari Barber
Dakar
02 November 2007

A United Nations helicopter carrying three crewmembers crashed in northern Liberia on Friday.  A U.N. spokesman says two of the three crewmembers are dead and the condition of the third is unknown.  The names and nationalities of those on board have not yet been released. Kari Barber has more from our West Africa bureau in Dakar.

Ben Malor, spokesman for the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) says the helicopter was on a routine flight from the border with Guinea to the border with Ivory Coast when it went down.

"We have received a report from the scene that the crashed helicopter had been on fire.  We can confirm two members of the team are dead," he said.  "The third one, we do not really know the condition of the third one if this person, this colleague, has survived and in what state."

Malor says investigations² have begun into what caused the helicopter, which was carrying cargo³, to crash.

"We have our teams at the crash site as I speak with you," he added.  "We also have some of colleagues from the Bangladeshi contingent⁴ there with the medical team.  We have also set up a joint⁵ investigation¹ team made up of members of the Liberian civil aviation authority and also UNMIL aviation safety personnel.  They have started an investigation into the crash."

Malor says U.N. helicopters on mission in Liberia have crashed before, but this is the first time there have been casualties.

He says as of Friday, the U.N. is halting all planned flights of these helicopters.

"Immediately the U.N. mission has grounded all of its civilian⁶ MI-8 helicopters until further notice," he said

A total of 15,000 U.N. peacekeepers have been stationed in Liberia since the end of the nation's civil war in 2003.  That number is expected to be drawn⁷ down over the next three years.

1 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

2 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

3 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

4 contingent   

adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队

参考例句：

• The contingent marched in the direction of the Western Hills.队伍朝西山的方向前进。
• Whether or not we arrive on time is contingent on the weather.我们是否按时到达要视天气情况而定。

5 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

6 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

7 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。