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| An Israeli Air Force helicopter for accident investigation lands at the site where an Israeli military helicopter crashed earlier at Kibbutz Revadim in southern Israel on March 12, 2013. An Israel Air Force Bell AH-1 Cobra helicopter crashed into a wheat field at Kibbutz Revadim, killing two crew members, during a training flight on early Tuesday morning, confirmed by Israeli army spokesperson. (Xinhua/Yin Dongxun) |
JERUSALEM, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Two Israeli air force pilots were killed early Tuesday morning in a helicopter crash in southern Israel, said Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
"The remains of the helicopter have been discovered, with no survivors being found," the IDF said in a statement.
At 1 a.m. local time, the nearby airbase lost radio contact with a Cobra helicopter. The IDF then scanned the southern area and found the crashed aircraft outside of a Kibbutz, called Revadim.
"The two crew members were experienced veteran reservists who had been trained for years," a senior air force officer told the Ha'aretz daily.
An IDF spokesperson said that the Air Force Commander, Maj.-Gen. Amir Eshel, has appointed a team to investigate this accident.
In September 2008, two Israeli pilots were killed in a Cobra helicopter crash in northern Israel, due to a broken rotor.
In October 2012, Air Force Commander Eshel grounded jet flights of the air force due to a series of near-accidents.
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