Coordinates: 33°13′20″N 35°38′28″E / 33.22222°N 35.64111°E / 33.22222; 35.64111

Monument for the 73 soldiers killed in the collision.

The 1997 Israeli helicopter disaster, occurred on 4 February 1997, and left 73 IDF soldiers dead after two Sikorsky CH-53 helicopters collided over She'ar Yashuv in northern Israel. The helicopters were supposed to have crossed the border into Israel's "security zone" in Lebanon, but they were hovering while waiting for official clearance to go. Previously Israel had moved troops by ground, but this policy was changed as the threat of roadside bombs from Hezbollah increased.^[1]

The crash brought about widespread national grieving. Thursday, 6 February, was declared an official day of mourning, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Ezer Weizman attended funerals and visited the surviving families. In addition, thousands of Israelis went to pray at the Western Wall, and assemblies were held at schools nationwide.

Because it was the deadliest air disaster in Israeli history, a commission headed by David Ivry was set up to investigate the cause of the collision. The committee finished its investigation in mid-April of the same year. It had been unable to find the definite cause of the mid-air collision, noting that the pilots appeared in good health and that no external causes could be found.

[edit] See also

• 1977 Israeli CH-53 crash

[edit] References

• Segal, Naomi. "Pilot error may be cause of horrific helicopter crash", Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Feb. 14, 1997. Accessed 11 June 2006.
• Segal, Naomi. "Discipline recommended in copter crash that killed 73", Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 25 April 1997. Accessed 11 June 2006.

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: 1997 Israeli helicopter disaster monument

• "Two army helicopters crash in northern Israel killing 73 people", The Michigan Daily, 5 Feb. 1997. Accessed 11 June 2006.
• "Military helicopters collide in Israel, killing scores", CNN, 4 Feb. 1997. Accessed 11 June 2006.
• " The Israeli Helicopter Crash- Reactions in Lebanon", News at Lebanon, 5 Feb. 1997. Accessed 11 June 2006.

v • d • e ← 1996 Aviation accidents and incidents in 1997 1998→ Comair Flight 3272 (January 9) — Israeli helicopter disaster (February 4) — China Southern Airlines Flight 3456 (May 8) — Continental Airlines Flight 1760 (May 11) — Air Malta Flight 830 (June 9) — FedEx Flight 14 (July 31) — Korean Air Flight 801 (August 6) — Vietnam Airlines Flight 815 (September 3) — Garuda Indonesia Flight 152 (September 26) — Austral Líneas Aéreas Flight 2553 (October 10) — SilkAir Flight 185 (December 19) — Transavia Airlines Flight 462 (December 24) — United Airlines Flight 826 (December 28) Bold blue indicates incidents resulting at least 50 deaths (current article is always in bold black) Orange indicates the deadliest incident in 1997

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