Cairo, Nov 13 (AFP/APP):A helicopter crash in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula involving a multi-national observer force killed seven people on Thursday — five Americans, a French national and a Czech citizen, the force said.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss on November 12, 2020, of seven of our uniformed military colleagues from three countries who died in a helicopter crash during a routine mission. This included one Czech, one French, and five US MFO members,” the peacekeeping force said late Thursday.
Throughout the day conflicting numbers about the final death toll were given by the MFO.
US President-elect Joe Biden tweeted his “deep condolences to the loved ones of the peacekeepers, including 6 American service members, who died on Tiran Island,” referring to an earlier toll from the force.
Strategic Tiran island, along with Sanafir, in the Red Sea was officially ceded to Saudi Arabia in 2017 as part of a maritime agreement.
Biden also wished “a speedy recovery to the surviving American”.
The sole survivor of the crash was medically evacuated, the MFO added.
“An IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) helicopter carrying elite search and rescue soldiers… evacuated an injured American MFO peacekeeper to an Israeli hospital for medical treatment,” the Israeli army said.
The MFO was set up by Israel and Egypt to supervise parts of their 1979 historic peace treaty after the United Nations did not approve a peacekeeping force for the Sinai.
It was established as an alternative to a UN mission, but has consistently had significant international backing, notably from the United States.
The multi-national force said in its statement that it would launch an investigation into the incident.
“A full investigation of the cause of the crash, which appears to be mechanical in nature, has been launched,” the peacekeeping force said.
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