Six people dead after Mexican Marine helicopter comes under fire near the U.S. border
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}JACUMBA, CA - APRIL 8: A Border Patrol helicopter flies along the border after sunset as the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps (MCDC) patrols the U.S.-Mexico border in search of illegal immigrants and drug smugglers April 8, 2006 near Jacumba, California. MCDC is conducting the patrols in all four U.S.-Mexico border states and in several places along the Canadian border throughout the month of April as Congress considers changes to immigration and border security laws. Late last week, a ?breakthrough? compromise Senate leaders announced in the overhaul of immigration law, that could have led to the passage of a bill that would give the nation's estimated 11 million-plus illegal immigrants a chance to obtain U.S. citizenship, fell apart before the start of the two-week Spring recess. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images) (2006 Getty Images)
Mexico's navy says six people are dead after a group of suspected criminals sparked a skirmish by opening fire on a Marine helicopter near the U.S. border.
The navy says the incident happened on Sunday in a rural area south of Nuevo Laredo, which is across the border from Laredo, Texas.
In a statement Monday, the navy said the suspects fired on the Blackhawk helicopter, hitting it seven times. The helicopter crew returned fire, killing six suspects. No navy personnel were injured.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The navy said the crew detected a convoy of armed men in an area long dominated by the Zetas cartel.
In a May 1 attack, gunmen in the western state of Jalisco shot down an army helicopter with a rocket launcher, killing 10.