Israel sends plane to help search for Israeli helicopter crash victims in Romania

Bucharest: The Israeli air force is sending a transport plane to Romania to help search for missing bodies from an accident involving a military helicopter which crashed near Brasov in central Romania on Monday.

There were six Israelis and one Romanian on board the craft, which was on a joint military exercise with the Romanian Air Force, the ministry said.

Four bodies were recovered on Monday, rescue crews in the Brasov area told Realitata television. The search for remaining personnel continues in unfavourable conditions in mountainous terrain, the ministry said in a statement on its website.

On Tuesday, an Israeli transport plane left Israel for Romania carrying medical and search-and-rescue personnel and officials who specialise in identifying bodies.

The crash occurred as Romanian and Israeli troops were taking part in aviation exercises during which troops are trained to fly at low altitudes. The training operations began on July 18 and are scheduled to end on July 29, the ministry said.