The entire crew of the IAF helicopter that crashed in a remote mountain region in the Carpathian mountains in Romania were declared dead Tuesday. Six IAF crew and a Romanian military officer lost their lives in the crash. The site of the crash has been located, but due to the difficult terrain and constantly changing weather conditions, rescue and search teams have yet to reach the exact area of impact and remove the bodies.
In Israel, the families of the six crew members, four pilots and two airborne technicians were given the bitter news that their loves ones were killed in the crash after the helicopter crashed into the side of a mountain and burst into flames.
Lt. Col (Res.) Avner Goldman, 48, from Modi'in; Lt. Col. Daniel Shipenbauer, 43, from Moshav Kidron; Maj. Yahel Keshet, 33, from Hatzerim; Maj. Lior Shai, 28, from Tel-Nof; Lt. Nir Lakrif, 25, from Tel- Nof; and Staff Sergeant Oren Cohen, 24, from Rehovot.
The helicopter, a Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion, crashed Monday during a joint Israeli Romanian military exercise in which crews are trained to fly at low altitudes. The joint exercises, which were due to end Thursday, were suspended after the crash.
Romanian search teams and Israeli representatives arrived at the crash site in a remote, mountainous area on Tuesday morning and secured the area. Officials mapped out the site of the crash located high in the mountains with wreckage scattered in a ravine.
In the coming days efforts will be made to reach the site to extricate the bodies of the dead crew and gather up the scattered helicopter parts.
Once the bodies of the air crew are removed from the site, representatives of the IDF Rabbinate in Romania will identify the bodies.
Romanian Defense Minister Gabriel Oprea sent condolences to families of those that died and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak expressing his "deep regret," according to a ministry statement.
Oprea said religious and military ceremonies would be held early Wednesday at military units throughout Romania to honor the dead soldiers .
Mircea Opris, Romania's chief mountain rescue official, said the chopper had burst into flames after it slammed into the mountain. Ciprian Aldea, a local police spokesman, said human remains and helicopter parts were scattered across the area.
Israeli officials said the Israeli crew comprised of four pilots and two airborne mechanics and one Romanian liaison officer were experienced.
Two Israeli CH-53 helicopters had been training in a mountainous area in heavy fog when one of the helicopters lost touch with the other and apparently hit the mountain, officials said.
Israel's military has been training with the Romanians since 2004. The Israelis also train with other European militaries and with the U.S. to give their crews experience in unfamiliar terrain.
(AP contributed to this report) |
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