One Killed, One Wounded in Air Force Helicopter Crash

An Israel Air Force (IAF) pilot was killed and a navigator critically injured when an Apache military helicopter crashed in southern Israel Monday night. The helicopter crew was evacuated to Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheva, with one declared dead at the scene and one evacuated with paramedics attempting to resuscitate him.

The army has not released the soldiers’ names.

IDF officials said in a statement that the accident, which occurred at 8:30 pm, is under investigation.

According to initial reports, the helicopter was on its way back to base from a training flight when the pilot reported a technical failure and tried to land. A few minutes passed between the initial report of the technical failure and the crash.

The Apache squadron had previously been grounded in mid-June after a crack was found in one of the rear rotor blades of the one the helicopters in the squadron. It is unclear whether the rotor crack was in any way related to Monday’s accident.