A preliminary investigation suggested the aircraft was not struck by enemy fire, though the precise cause of the accident was not immediately clear.
By World Israel News Staff
An IDF helicopter crashed in the Gaza Strip shortly after midnight early Wednesday morning, leaving two soldiers dead and seven others injured, the Israeli military revealed later Wednesday morning.
The incident was initially censored by the military, and was only cleared for publication following a preliminary investigation by the army.
The fatal crash occurred while an American-made Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, operated by the Israel Air Force, was attempting to land after evacuating a soldier who was wounded in combat in the Rafah district late Tuesday night.
The Black Hawk helicopter, which is designated the “Yanshuf” in the IAF, was part of the 123rd Squadron, was carrying a medical team from the army’s Unit 669 at the time of the crash.
While attempting to land at an IDF position near Rafah, the helicopter crashed at approximately 12:30 a.m.
The crashed IDF helicopter. (Twitter Screenshot)
The preliminary IDF investigation into the crash suggested that the aircraft was not struck by enemy fire, and likely was the result of an accident. The precise cause of the accident was not immediately clear, however.
The IDF has launched a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash. Israel Air Force commander Major General Tomer Bar appointed a committee Wednesday to probe the incident, the IDF announced.
Two soldiers were killed on impact, while seven others were injured in the crash.
Eight injured soldiers were evacuated from the site, including seven injured by the crash, as well as the wounded combat engineer who had been slated for evacuation after being wounded in combat.
Four of eight soldiers evacuated from the scene are listed in serious condition, including the combat engineer.
DETAILS ON IDF HELICOPTER CRASH
Black Hawk Helicopter Crash in the Philadelphi Route Area:
At 12:32 AM, a Black Hawk helicopter from the 123rd Helicopter Squadron, carrying soldiers from the 669 Rescue Unit, arrived to urgently evacuate a combat engineer who had been severely… https://t.co/Dk7nYovJUc pic.twitter.com/t9evI1HpVB
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