Richard Engel: I Was Supposed To Be On Helicopter That Crashed In Afghanistan

NBC News' Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel said on the "Today" show Monday that he was meant to be on one of the helicopters that crashed in Afghanistan.

"This has been a terrible day of several helicopter crashes," Engel said. "I'm now in western Afghanistan. I was supposed to be, in fact, on one of those helicopters that did, in fact, crash. On that helicopter, seven US servicemen were killed along with three civilians. They were on an operation in western Afghanistan. And then in a separate incident, two helicopters collided in mid-air in southern Afghanistan. Four US servicemen killed in that accident, so a very, very significant day."

Read more about the helicopter crashes here.

Watch Engel's report on the "Today" show:

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Comments

[ParroPhernalia]

I don't know if Richard reads these comments (I don't see how he could have time.) but I just want to say I am a HUGE fan.

I recognize what he does as dangerous and so necessary to our knowledge of the entire Middle East and the people who live there.

I don't know how he does it but I am forever amazed at how he gets the contacts, and the inside information he does in such a dangerous atmosphere.

I think Richard should have received the Nobel because his accurate reporting has enabled all of us to understand aspects of the Middle East we never could without his explanations. He does all this while dodging bullets and bombs.

Thanx Richard, you are a rare hero in this mess and I know they can't pay you enough.

Ron 'Hollywood' Parro

[Okieborn]

Engel at one time was a great correspondent but has began to push more troops and a long drawn out stay in Afghanistan !!
No Thanks Richard !!
Send our troops home !!!

[jackbutler5555]

I wonder what's it like to sitting around the dinner table with some of the posters here, whose command of ad hominems is uh admirable.

Are the children allowed to express an opinion without suffering the consequences of indigestion? I imagine from the nature of the comments there are a lot of overbearing daddies here. Mommies, too? There goes the notion that a family that eats together is a better family.

And the sons and daughters of these families -- do they grow up to be tyrannical dining companions? What are the like as they date their future spouses? My guess is that if you're looking to wed a good parent, you might want to see the person play tennis first.

[Nunnya]

Huh?

[jackbutler5555]

From time to time, I do run into postings I don't understand, as you just have. What I do is to grasp the mouse, move it to the scroll bar, and pass it by. It never occurs to me to communicate my confusion. But now that I know you were confused, the very next time I wish for you to understand something, I'll adjust the prose.

[jackbutler5555]

I'm beginning to think many folks here would be doing a better job than Engel on the ground and in the air in Afghanistan. I hope those folks let NBC know that they are available.

[StillAmused]

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(crickets)
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[2centsplain]

I need some help here. When he says that he was "supposed" to be on the flight, I understand that. It was scheduled and there was a change. But when he says that he was "meant" to be on the flight, he is saying that he wants to have been. ????? And he writes for a living?

[rob2007]

Engel never said the word "meant." that teminology is from the crack(pot) Huffpost headline writers doing their usual job of misinformation and misquotation in a sorry attempt to think they are making their stories more provocative. Most probably should be writing for tmz.com. Meanwhile, Engle is doing yeomanship reporting in the most dangerous area in the world.

[pissedmichael]

Now that I am reminded of the Rachel Maddow interview, I am also reminded that I thought it strange that, during the entire time, he was smiling. At the time, I attributed it to exhaustion. Now, I'm not so sure. Could it have been smugness?

[jackbutler5555]

Why would he be smug?

[pissedmichael]

Just a guess. Couldn't think of any other reason for the smile.

[StillAmused]

He reported the maintenance challenges for choppers because of the dust, said a third chopper never showed up for the mission so he couldn't go. Never once said, "It could have been me."

Informed of your dissatisfaction, he's promised to study the Glenn Beck tapes we've forwarded and will make an effort to weep and wring his hands in future reports.

M oron.

[pissedmichael]

I agree with 'plissken.' Engle has made himself the story. Perhaps he should reconsider his network choice and move to Fox?

[respectingothers]

did you even watch the video? he barely mentions himself.

[pissedmichael]

Did you? See 'fabricnthreads' post below.

[jackbutler5555]

The one interview I saw, he said: "This isn't about me."

If he did talk about the fact he almost was on that chopper, that's standard journalistic fare. Major plane crashes always have a story or two about the people who missed the plane.

[pissedmichael]

I'll concede you may have a point. I am able to do so due to the civility with which you make your point. Thank you.

[stargazer13]

I my self think to many journalist have met untimely there end !!!

we have lost more journalist in this war then in other wars

wonder why that is ??

this man is safe but is he reliable in his reporting !! I my self don,t know much about him !!!

[Plissken]

Good for him, he got lucky. But, I dont care for Richard Engel's reporting. I tried watching a doc he made about Afghanistan and he spent the whole time making himself the story. It was like this: hey look at me in this really dangerous environment aren't I just a fabously intrepid reporter? Dan Rather needs to show the little aristocrat how to do it. He's just a big ego looking for attention. Annoying. All the real reporters work in the print business.

[jackbutler5555]

You know he'll be crushed when he reads your comment.

[fabricnthreads]

You know, he talked about this on Rachel Maddow. I understood him to say there was another chopper (a third) that was not allowed to fly that day. I understood him to say he was to be on the third chopper and because it was not flown, he was not with the group.

I think this is different than [supposed to be on a chopper that crashed.]

Perhaps he would have been assigned to one of the down choppers, had all three flown, but that is not what he said on Maddow.

Not to say that the feeling of "what if" isn't strong, it just seems overnight the story is taking a little different turn, so to speak.

Makes the story about him, not the people who lost their lives. Poor journalism, the story should never be about you.

[pissedmichael]

Exactly right. I had forgotten about the Maddow interview.

[breeding]

I don't care what the guy is like personally, and care less what other people here have to say about him. I do like the fact that we still have journalists who leave their desks and go out to cover life. However it gets filtered in the control room, it is fact not fiction. We lose that and we're all sunk.

[jackbutler5555]

I agree.

[AnnArky]

Hey, Mr. I'm-So-Full-of-Myself Engel, if you had been meant to be on that helicopter then you would have been. Actually (obviously) you weren't meant to be on it.

[Notrepublicrat]

Only journalists would see this as important. A journalist almost died. That's terrible...but irrelevant.

Could someone please explain how this is relevant or even interesting?

[repugnicansfearme]

This is not important, in the least. It is a continuation of "The Media as News"- perpetuated by many, including print media (The NY Times reported who was "Kidnapped by the Taliban"---after he was warned by the military not to enter that region---the same military that rescued his sorry a**). Media traipses to war zones or hotspots, stay at a few hotels, and become experts on all facts of the region, media, politics, culture, religion---if you are to believe them and their employers. Engel has already written one "book"- an account of his escapades in various regions--this is sure to be another. Gee, can't wait for that snoozer.

[jackbutler5555]

Yes, I will -- and, of course, you will dispute what I'm about to say. 'Cause that's what is done in forums such as this.

It is standard journalistic fare for stories about air crashes to include interviews of people who almost caught that flight.

[gunnergoz]

It's understandable, I suppose, that Engel mentions the fact that he has been spared, before he goes on to talk about the deaths of the other American soldiers. Facing death - even a dodged bullet - is a pretty personal thing, after all.
Still, if I were a parent, relative or spouse of one of those now deceased heroes, I might feel a twinge of jealousy and resentment that Engel is still here, sharing about his brush with death, yet their loved ones had no such good fortune.
I'm glad for him that he survived, but his phrasing is inelegant and ultimately inconsiderate.

[CaliTLC]

WOW - count your blessings. It's probably time to return home.

[fabricnthreads]

true