Georgian defense minister says he was on helicopter attacked over South Ossetia

TBILISI, Georgia (AP)- Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili said he was aboard a helicopter that was shot over the separatist province of South Ossetia on Sunday, and that the aircraft was damaged but nobody was hurt and it landed safely on Georgian-controlled territory.

South Ossetian officials had said their forces shot down a Georgian government helicopter that invaded the breakaway reguion's airspace Sunday, but Georgian military officials denied the claim, saying the helicopter took fire but landed safely.