IAF Chief Major-General Amir Eshel ordered all Yassur choppers grounded after one of the CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters was compelled to make an emergency landing on Wednesday, 27 Menachem Av 5772 near the Tel Nof Base.

The chopper’s pilot detected what he believed was a technical malfunction with the aircraft, prompting the unscheduled landing. Air force technicians were transported to the landing site to inspect the Yassur. There were no injuries in the unscheduled landing.

As a result, Eshel took the standard step of grounding the choppers until the experts can determine the cause of the technical problem that compelled the emergency landing.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)