Was chopper hit by IDF fire?

At first, IAF sources reported that the aircraft apparently crashed due to a technical malfunction or a human error, but it later turned out that one of the possibilities looked into was that the chopper was hit by artillery fire of the Israel Defense Forces' "Destroyer" multiple launch rocket system.

The two pilots killed in the crash are:

• First Lieutenant Tom Farkash, 23, of Casarea
• Colonel Tzvi Loft, 42, of Hogla
  

The "Destroyer" multiple launch rocket system is the most advanced multi-barreled rocket launcher in the world, which releases powerful fire that is scattered in the area and is considered statistical and not accurate.

This new weapon has been used by Israeli gunners in recent years, and is now being used for the first time in the battlefield against rocket launching sites in southern Lebanon.

A possibility of a technical malfunction is still being checked.

First Lieutenant Tom Farkash (Photo: Ronen Boidek)

First Lieutenant Tom Farkash was survived by his parents, Anat and Doron, and two siblings – Amit, 17, and Ori, 11. Tom’s father, Doron, also served in the IAF as a Skyhawk pilot, and today works as a captain for El Al. He received the bitter news of his son’s death in Toronto, where he was for work.

Tom was also supposed to be visiting Canada shortly to meet up with childhood friends, but with the outbreak of the war in the north, his trip was delayed. Now, his friends may arrive in Israel to say goodbye to him for the last time.

Tom was born in Canada, where his parents moved when they were young. Eleven years ago they returned to Israel and settled in Caesarea. In 2001 Tom was drafted to the IDF, where he completed pilot’s course and served as a helicopter gunship pilot.

Just one month ago he celebrated his 23rd birthday, and his family sent him an atypical birthday present – an ice cream truck that handed out ice cream treats to him and his friends. Tom spent last Saturday with his family and his girlfriend of four years, Reut.

'Successful and handsome'

Last week, after the collision of two Apache helicopters, Tom’s family feared for his fate.

“They passed a night of panic. But after inquiries, it became clear that their son was not on either of the helicopters and they breathed a sigh of relief,” a relative told Ynet. “Tom entered the pilot’s course because he was good, not because his father was a pilot.”

His uncle, Yaniv Alafia, said that everyone liked Tom.

"He is the family's firstborn son, a successful and handsome boy. He had a special connection with his sisters. His mother had a gut feeling that something happened to him. When the family heard about a helicopter crashing they began checking if Tom was on it, and quickly understood that he was killed.

Tom grandfather, Shlomo, said that "he was a perfect grandson. Everyone liked him. I am speechless."

Many relatives and friends arrived at the family's home, and loud sounds of crying were heard in the house every time one of them walked inside.

The grandson of late President Ezer Weizman, who was a close friend of Tom and a pilot himself, arrived at the family's home. Weziman's daughter, Michal, also arrived with her husband in order to console the family members.

• The family of Colonel Tzvi Loft asked reporters who arrived at his home to refrain from media coverage.
  

The incident in which two IDF soldiers were killed in the Bint Jbeil area in Lebanon was apparently also the result of friendly fire. A senior IAF officer said that the initial investigation into the incident revealed that an officer in the Golani Brigade command post identified an enemy force and ordered an aircraft to open fire at it; but a command post in Safed identified the “enemy force” as IDF troops and the aircraft was ordered to halt its fire.

Despite the incidents the Air Force has expressed captious optimism in light of the fact that no rockets were fired toward Haifa on Monday, saying it may be the result of the incessant attacks against Hizbullah targets in Lebanon.

Hanan Greenberg contributed to the report