All seven onboard Qatar helicopter killed after crash in Gulf nation’s waters
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "All seven onboard Qatar helicopter killed after crash in Gulf nation’s waters")
Representative image. Photograph: (AFP)
All seven people were killed after a Qatari helicopter crashed in regional waters. Authorities confirmed the deaths following search operations.
Qatar’s Ministry of Interior on Sunday (Mar 22) said that seven people were killed in the helicopter that had crashed in the regional waters of the Gulf state. The statement came after the authorities conducted search and rescue operations for the missing persons aboard the helicopter. The crash comes amid the rising hostilities in West Asia after US and Israeli forces launched strikes on Iran on February 28, killing the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
Sources said all the bodies were found after the helicopter went down due to a "technical malfunction" in Qatar's territorial waters on Sunday.
Four Qatari military personnel, one Turkish serviceman, and two technicians from a Turkish defence company were on board, Qatar and Turkey say.
The cause of the crash that happened during a training exercise is now being investigated.
Qatar's interior ministry said in a statement that all seven people on board had been found dead and expressed its deepest condolences to the victims' families.
Turkey's defence ministry said the Qatari military helicopter had been "carrying out a training exercise as part of the Qatar-Turkey Joint Forces Command".
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The two technicians were from the Aselsan defence corporation, the ministry said, adding that the exact cause of the crash would be determined by Qatari authorities.
The statement added, “The Ministry of Interior extends its deepest condolences and sincere sympathy to the families of the deceased, praying to Almighty God to grant them His vast mercy, admit them into His spacious paradise, and give their families and loved ones patience and solace.”
How did the crash happen?
In an earlier statement, the defence ministry said that the helicopter had crashed in the regional waters due to a “technical malfunction” during routine duty. Qatar has been targeted repeatedly by Iran since the war broke out in the region. However, the government did not link the crash to the ongoing conflict.
West Asia war
The conflict in West Asia entered its 23rd day on March 22. Hostilities began on February 28 when the US and Israeli military launched strikes on Iran, killing Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei and several other top Iranian officials. The operation was named ‘Epic Fury’ by the US and ‘Lion’s Roar’ by Israel. The attacks came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran and ongoing talks over Iran’s nuclear program.
In retaliation, Iran launched attacks on Israel and US military bases in the region, including in Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, Iraq, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Azerbaijan. Iran has ruled out any possibility of a ceasefire, while US President Donald Trump has claimed victory multiple times, suggesting that the objective is nearly met. Meanwhile, Israel has expanded its operations in Lebanon, targeting Iran’s ally Hezbollah and has ruled out diplomacy with the Lebanese government.
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.
