Reuters

The U.S. government said yesterday that American civilians it had contracted for anti-drug operations in Colombia were fired upon by guerrillas during a rescue
operation.

The incident occurred Sunday when a State Department helicopter was evacuating the injured pilot and crew of a Colombian police Huey II helicopter that was shot
down while escorting crop dusters spraying herbicide on drug crops.

U.S. officials did not say how many U.S. citizens were aboard the search and rescue helicopter, which is usually flown by three Colombians and three Americans,
including the pilot and paramedics.

The Americans contractors were hired by DynCorp, a Pentagon contractor based in Reston that provides crop duster and helicopter pilots, mechanics and
paramedics in a U.S.-funded offensive against Colombian drug traffickers.

The State Department said the police helicopter was hit by ground fire while escorting a spraying mission in Caqueta province. The pilot was wounded in the leg and
ditched the aircraft in a coca field.

While Colombian military units provided ground and air support, a State Department air-wing helicopter with a U.S. contractor and Colombian police crew landed
and rescued the stranded crew, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said. The helicopter came under fire during the operation.

The United States is spending $1.3 billion to stamp out drug production in Colombia, mainly on equipment and training for a military drive against narcotics crops in
guerrilla-controlled southern Colombia.

Spraying missions have run into intensifying fire as they move into rebel-held areas, putting American contractors' lives at risk.

Some 200 U.S. military personnel are involved in the training of Colombian army battalions for the anti-drug push, though they are not allowed on missions in combat
areas.

But about 30 American civilians are involved in the counter-narcotics missions, hired by DynCorp under contract with the State Department.

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