Soldier was executed after falling from helicopter

US military officials have revealed a soldier who fell out of a Chinook helicopter was later executed by al-Qaida fighters.

Petty Officer Neil C Roberts, 32, of Woodland, California, was based in Norfolk, Virginia, with a Navy SEAL unit.

US officials said when the helicopter was hit, it rapidly took off and landed a short distance away with hydraulic failure from the attack. The crew then discovered one of its men had apparently fallen out.

Commanders then watched real-time images from an unmanned Predator drone that showed al-Qaida members capture and kill the officer.

"We saw him on the Predator being dragged off by three al-Qaida men," said Major General Frank L. Hagenbeck, the operation commander.