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Tuesday, July 27, 2010     INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING

Israeli heavy-lift helicopter crashes in Romania during exercise for long-range operations

TEL AVIV — An Israeli military helicopter has crashed during an exercise in Romania, killing six soldiers.

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Israel has been training with Romania in both fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft maneuvers. Military sources said Romania has been used by the Israel Air Force for long-range operations that could be conducted against Iran.

Officials said a U.S.-origin CH-53 heavy-lift helicopter crashed during an exercise in Romania on July 26. They said the crash, which took place in the Carpathian mountains, killed all seven people in the helicopter.

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"The IAF is preparing for the departure of an aircraft to Romania, carrying medical teams, a rescue party and investigative team," the military said. The statement said the CH-53, known by the Air Force as Yassour and manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft, contained four pilots, two mechanics and an officer from the Romanian Air Force. They said an investigation, which already appeared to rule out a technical mishap, would be conducted by both Israel and Romania. In wake of the crash, the two air forces have decided to end the exercise.

"Israel Air Force commander Maj. Gen. Ido Nehushtan corresponded with his Romanian counterpart, Maj. Gen. Ion-Aurel Stanciu, and has reached agreement for a joint examination," the military said. "The Israeli team will be headed by a brigadier general."

The Israel Air Force has been plagued by its aging CH-53 fleet, acquired in the 1960s. In 1997, 73 soldiers were killed in a collision of two such helicopters on their way to a mission in Lebanon.



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