Romanian Military Chopper Crashes Over Black Sea, Killing 7; Fighter Jet Goes Missing

A Romanian military chopper crashed over the Black Sea on Wednesday, killing seven people. The helicopter crash happened after a fighter jet vanished from the radar over Dobrogea. The chopper was deployed for the search mission of the fighter jet. The Romanian Defence Ministry confirmed that the Puma rescue chopper crashed and there were seven fatalities.

Officials are yet to figure out the cause of the chopper crash. Also, they do not have any details about the location or signs of the MiG 21 LanceR plane which had disappeared from the radar.

Black Hawk helicopter

Another Search and Rescue Mission is Underway

But another search and rescue mission is underway on land for the jet.

MiG-21 LanceR aircraft took off from Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base 57 nearly around 7.50 pm.

Initially, local media reports said that the aircraft was crashed but nothing is known about the pilot's whereabouts.

Hypersonic missile
Representative image Wikimedia commons

No Survivors in Crash

The Ministry of the National Defence confirmed seven deaths from the chopper crash. There were no survivors in the crash, reported Daily Express.

Initially, five crew members had boarded the chopper but later two officials from the Romanian Navy also boarded the rescue helicopter.

Minister of National Defence Vasile Dincu on Wednesday evening condoled to the family members of those killed in the helicopter crash, stressing that it was a sad day for the Romanian Army family.

Dincu said, "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 11 km from the aerodrome."

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