NAIROBI: Seven crewmen who died when a US Air Force gunship crashed

off Kenya en route to Somalia may have tried to parachute to safety too

late, US military officials said yesterday, as the search continued for

a missing crewman. Six of the 14 crew survived Monday night's crash,

three of whom swam ashore through a snake-infested lagoon. The deaths

took to 39 thenumber of Americans killed since the start of the US-led

operation to save Somalia from famine. In Somalia, Indian peacekeeping

troops shot dead nine Somali bandits who attacked an Irish relief convoy

headed for Baidoa yesterday. A wave of lawlessness is surging through

the country as US soldiers pull out.