Saudi prince dies in helicopter crash near Yemen one day after missile launch by Houthis

by WorldTribune Staff, November 6, 2017

A Saudi prince who was deputy governor of the kingdom’s Asir Province died in a helicopter crash on Nov. 5, reports said.

Prince Mansour bin Muqrin

Prince Mansour bin Muqrin, the son of former Crown Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz, was in the southern part of the kingdom near Yemen when the aircraft went down, the Al-Ekhbariya news channel announced.

Saudi-owned satellite news channel Al-Arabiya, based in Dubai, reported that the crash killed the prince and seven others. State media did not reveal the cause of the crash.

The crash occurred one a day after Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen launched a ballistic missile at an airport in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, state media reported.

The missile was intercepted and destroyed, according to reports.

The helicopter crash also came a day after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched a purge of alleged corruption by ordering the arrest of several princes and high-ranking officials.

Analysts said the crown prince’s actions were an attempt to eliminate any trace of dissent within the ranks before the formal transfer of power from his 81-year-old father, King Salman.


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