British defense officials say 14 British military personnel have been killed in a crash of a NATO aircraft in southern Afghanistan.

A NATO spokesman says the aircraft went off the radar and crashed in an open area near Kandahar Saturday.

Officials say the aircraft was supporting a NATO mission in the country’s south, but there is no indication of enemy action causing the crash.

The crash comes as NATO forces launched an offensive to drive Taleban remnants out of Kandahar.

Officials say “Operation Medusa” is aimed at removing the Taleban threat so that stability, reconstruction and development can be achieved in the area.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.