DAMASCUS, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Syrian Information Ministry said Thursday that the downfall of the military gunship is due to an " aerial accident" after it hit a tail of a civilian airplane while flying, state-run SANA news agency said.
In a statement, the ministry said the civilian airbus landed peacefully and none of its passengers were hurt.
"All of them are in good health," the ministry said.
The helicopter gunship crushed earlier in the day near Damascus ' suburb of Douma.
Meanwhile, pro-government website said the armed insurgents fired at the gunship with long-range machinegun, prompting the fighter pilot to go as high as he could to avoid the shooting when he was surprised by the civilian plane and then made a curve to shun the collision before he lost control of the gunship.
The pilot along with other three assistants were all killed, according to the pro-government report.
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