The plane was taking part in a simulated aerial bombardment in radio link with ground teams.

The dead marine was identified as Captain Seth Michaud, 27, a naval pilot of Hudson, Massachusetts. He leaves a widow and an 18 month-old son.

US Central Command said in a statement Sunday "errant bombs" from a B-52 had landed near forces training at Godoria Range, along the northern coast of Djibouti.

It said the incident was under investigation.

The plane dropped nine M117 bombs which hit near service personnel and two Marine Corps helicopters parked on the ground near the field of fire, according to a statement issued by by the US command here.

The bombs had dropped close to personnel, killing one and injuring eight others, it added.

The two helicopters were destroyed.

The forces supporting the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa were participating in a routine training exercise.

The headquarters of a US counterterrorism task force in the Horn of Africa is at Camp Lemonier, a former French Foreign Legion base in Djibouti, used by US forces in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

The joint task force was set up late last year to pursue suspected al-Qaeda members in the Horn of Africa and to step up the US military presence in the region.

The army statement said 50 personnel had been taking part in an exercise in conjunction with an aerial bombing mission.

After first aid was administered on the scene, the injured had been evacuated by helicopter and itially been admitted to the French Bouffard military hospital for stabilisaiton, then transferred to a US army hospital at Landstuhl in Germany.

Army headquarters said the exercise had been the fourth since the arrival of the Combined Joint Task Force last December.

The B-52 had flown from an advanced operational base of the zone of operations of the US Central Command, the statement said.

Previous exercises had involved American and coalition warships and Marine Corps Harrier jets.

WAR.WIRE