IDF Spokesperson’s Office September 10th, 2008

Two Israel Air Force pilots were killed after a “Cobra” type combat helicopter crashed this evening (September 10th, 2008) during a training flight near the Israeli kibbutz of Ginegar in the Yizrael Valley (northern Israel).

The families of the pilots were notified.

During the training session, the helicopter took part in a flight formation. Approximately ten minutes after taking off from the “Ramat David” Air Force base, the formation leader noticed that the second helicopter crashed to the ground.

The Commander of the Israel Air Force, Maj. Gen. Ido Nechushtan, has decided to ground the “Cobra” helicopters of the IAF until further notice, and has appointed an official commission of inquiry to investigate the incident.

[YNET reports: The name of one of the pilots was cleared for publication after midnight - Major Shai Danor, a 35-year-old reservist from Rosh HaAyin. Danor is survived by a wife and five young children, the oldest of whom is eight, the youngest are 18-month-old twins.]

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