Monday, April 29, 2024

Baghdad

Helicopter crashes due to technical failure in southern Iraq

 Helicopter crashes due to technical failure in southern Iraq

Iraqi Army Aviation helicopters. Photo: AFP via Getty Images

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Ministry of Defense announced on Monday that a helicopter belonging to the Iraqi army crashed in the southern part of the country due to a technical failure, and its crew was injured.

The Defense Ministry elaborated in a statement published on X, formerly Twitter, that the crashed helicopter is a Bell (Jet Ranger) designated for training.

The statement elaborated that the helicopter was on a training mission at Al-Kut Air Base in Wasit governorate when a technical failure occurred, causing the helicopter to crash.

The crew was slightly injured, and a technical committee from the Defense Ministry was sent to the scene to identify the technical failure that made the helicopter fall.

Over the past few years, military aircraft have repeatedly crashed in Iraq.

In December 2021, the crew of a Mi-17 helicopter belonging to the Iraqi Air Force was injured and suffered a technical malfunction that led to an emergency landing in the Al-Rifai area in Maysan governorate.

In July 2021, three Iraqi soldiers and two officers were killed after their helicopter crashed in southern Kirkuk during a combat mission.