A helicopter crashed near residential areas in Gush Etzion in the West Bank on Friday morning after slipping out of a towing harness during a retrieval operation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said. No casualties were reported.
Footage from the scene showed the helicopter falling from the air before crashing near houses in the area. The incident occurred during an attempt to recover a military helicopter that had previously made an emergency landing.
Emergency Landing Led to Retrieval Operation
According to the IDF, the Yanshuf helicopter had carried out an emergency landing on Tuesday in the Etzion Brigade sector due to adverse weather conditions. On Friday morning, another helicopter was deployed to tow the grounded aircraft from the area.
During the operation, the harnesses used to tow the Yanshuf helicopter from the belly of the second aircraft became detached, causing the helicopter to fall and crash to the ground near nearby homes.
IAF Orders Military Investigation
The IDF confirmed that no injuries were caused as a result of the crash. However, the incident raised concerns due to its proximity to residential areas.
Following the mishap, the Commander of the Israeli Air Force, Maj.-Gen. Tomer Bar, ordered the establishment of a military investigation committee to examine the circumstances that led to the failure of the towing harness and the subsequent crash.
