By By Elizabeth Ugbo
On Sunday, a Qatari military helicopter crashed in Qatar’s territorial waters, killing seven people. The victims included four Qatari armed forces personnel and three Turkish nationals. The crash occurred during a training exercise under the Qatar-Turkey Joint Forces Command. Officials said a technical malfunction caused the helicopter to go down. Rescue teams completed operations and confirmed all fatalities.
Victims Identified
Qatar’s defence ministry named the Qatari victims as:
- Captain Mubarak Salem Daway al-Marri
- Sergeant Fahad Hadi Ghanem al-Khayarin
- Corporal Mohammed Maher Mohammed
- Captain Saeed Nasser Sameekh
The ministry also confirmed Major Sinan Tastekin from the Qatar-Turkey Joint Forces, and two Turkish civilians, Suleiman Cemra Kahraman and Ismail Anas, as deceased.
Circumstances of the Crash
The Turkish defence ministry reported: “A Qatari armed forces helicopter, carrying out a training exercise as part of the Qatar-Turkey Joint Forces Command, crashed into the sea.”
The ministry added that “a Turkish armed forces member and two Aselsan technicians” were killed. Aselsan is a major Turkish defence company.
Cause of the Accident
Qatar’s defence ministry said the helicopter crashed due to a technical malfunction during a routine flight.
The interior ministry confirmed that all seven individuals on board were found and declared dead.
Context
These fatalities are the first reported from Qatar and Turkey since February 28, when the US and Israel conducted strikes on Iran. Iran then launched a retaliatory air campaign targeting Gulf states.
