Two IDF soldiers killed in Israeli Air Force helicopter crash during Gaza Strip evacuation mission (WATCH)

A tragic accident occurred late on Tuesday night when an Israeli Air Force (IAF) helicopter crashed during a critical evacuation mission in the southern Gaza Strip.

Sunita Iyer

First Published Sep 11, 2024, 1:39 PM IST | Last Updated Sep 11, 2024, 1:39 PM IST

A tragic accident occurred late on Tuesday night when an Israeli Air Force (IAF) helicopter crashed during a critical evacuation mission in the southern Gaza Strip. The incident resulted in the deaths of two soldiers and left several others wounded, some in serious condition.

The crash involved a UH-60 Black Hawk from the IAF’s 123rd Squadron, which had been deployed to the area to evacuate a critically injured combat engineer. The helicopter was en route to Rafah, a region experiencing active combat, where it was tasked with transporting the wounded individual amid ongoing fighting.

"Overnight, an Israeli Air Force "Yanshuf" helicopter, which was on a mission to evacuate an injured soldier to a hospital for medical treatment, crashed while landing in the Rafah area in Gaza. An initial inquiry conducted indicates that the crash was not caused by enemy fire. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. There is no change to the IAF's operational activities. Two IDF soldiers were killed as a result of the crash. Following the incident, the Commander of the Israeli Air Force, Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, appointed an IAF investigative committee to examine the circumstances of the incident," wrote the Israel Defense Forces in a post on X.

According to the initial probe conducted by the Israeli Air Force, the crash happened around 00:30 a.m. local time during the final approach for landing inside an IDF (Israel Defense Forces) encampment in Rafah.

The aircraft, which was in the process of landing, impacted the ground instead of making a smooth touchdown. Preliminary findings suggest that the helicopter was not struck by enemy fire, and the crash occurred shortly before the helicopter was due to land, indicating that it did not fall from a significant height.

Despite the relatively short fall, the impact severely damaged the helicopter, resulting in injuries to all those aboard. In total, two soldiers were killed in the crash, while eight others were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment. Four of the injured soldiers are in serious condition, including the combat engineer who had been wounded earlier in the conflict and was the primary reason for the helicopter's mission.

The Israeli Air Force has described the incident as an accident but has yet to determine the exact cause of the crash. An investigation is underway to uncover why the helicopter failed to land correctly in the encampment. The names of the deceased soldiers have not been released as the military is still in the process of informing their families.

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