Illustrative image.
On February 17, a Mi-17 helicopter of the Syrian Arab Air Force (SyAAF) crash landed near the town of Alruyemih in the southeastern countryside of Lattakia.
A military official told the Syrian Arab News Agency that the helicopter experienced a “technical error” while conducting a training mission over the coastal region.
“The crew of the helicopter had to make an emergency landing in a rugged mountainous area,” the unnamed source said.
Two pilots, Captain Mojtaba Qusayeh and Lieutenant Basil Kiwan, where killed as a result of the rough landing, while three other pilots were wounded. The landing left the helicopter completely destroyed.
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Click to see full-size image.
More than 40 Mi-8/17 helicopters are currently in service with the SyAAF. These helicopters are mainly used for training and transportation.
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This was the SyAAF’s second loss in less than three days. On February 15, a MiG-23UB trainer fighter jet crashed near Sha’irat Air Base in the eastern countryside of Homs as a result of a mechanical error. Two pilots were killed in the accident.
