On Tuesday afternoon (July 27), all seven men who were on board an Israeli Air Force CH-53 series helicopter were R”L confirmed dead. The fatal helicopter crash which took place on the previous day in Romania, has claimed the lives of six Israelis and one Romanian, all of whom were on participating in a joint air force exercise and were initially declared missing.

Following the crash, the IDF sent a delegation of approximately 80 personnel from the IDF Medical Corps, the IAF, the Oketz K-9 Unit, the 669 Airborne Rescue and Evacuation Unit, the Chief Military Rabbinate, search and rescue teams, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, and an investigatory team to the crash site. The delegation arrived in Romania on Tuesday morning and immediately began operating in coordination with local Romanian forces. Representatives from the Israeli Chief Military Rabbinate and the Casualty Identification Center, who arrived with the IDF delegation to Romania, are currently preparing to reach to the crash site in order to verify this information.

The names of the six Israeli soldiers killed in this fatal helicopter crash are: Lt. Col. (res.) Avner Goldmam (48) from Modiin; Lt. Col. Daniel Shipenbauer (43) from Kidron; Maj. Yahel Keshet (33) from Hatzerim; Maj. Lior Shai (28) from Tel Nof; Lt. Nir Lakrif (25) from Tel Nof; and Sgt. 1st Class Oren Cohen (24) from Rehovot.

IDF officials have informed the families of the information received.

(YWN Desk – Israel)