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Seven dead in Romanian military rescue helicopter crash
A Romanian helicopter sent on a search-and-rescue mission late on Wednesday, 2 March 2022, after a Romanian military MiG 21 LanceR dropped off the radar has crashed, the defence ministry said, killing all seven soldiers on board. The pilot of the IAR 330-Puma helicopter had reported unfavourable weather conditions and had been called back to base before the crash, the ministry said. The helicopter fell near the village of Gura Dobrogei in eastern Romania. The ministry initially said the crash had killed five soldiers but later updated the death toll. "I give my profound regret and full compassion for the loss of seven soldiers from the Mihail Kogalniceanu air base," Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said. The Minister of National Defence Vasile Dîncu released a statement extending condolences to the families of those killed in the helicopter crash. It read: "Today is a sad day for the Romanian Army family. The crew of the IAR 330-Puma helicopter, on a search-and-rescue mission for the MiG 21 LanceR aircraft, were found dead in the area of Gura Dobrogei, approximately 11km from the aerodrome.”
The fate and location of the MiG aircarft and its pilot were still unknown. Romania, a European Union and NATO member, plans to phase out its MiG aircraft and is flying F-16s. Source: Reuters
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