IDF: Botched helicopter rescue result of human error
Findings of army investigation into fatal accident that led to Alaa Agbariya's death determine human error, rather than equipment malfunction, behind accident. IDF says no steps will be taken against any of those involved
On March 11 Agbariya was seriously wounded by an explosion after accidentally wandering off into a minefield in the Jordan Valley area.
A military chopper was alerted to the scene to evacuate him. He was strapped to the medevac's gear and airlifted off the field, but then somehow slipped from the straps, fell to the ground from a substantial altitude, and suffered critical injuries.
The inquiry report that was published Friday determined that the accident should be attributed to human error and not to technical failure. A senior officer presented the findings to Agbariya's family.
Following the fatal incident Agbariya's family demanded that an independent investigation be launched to examine the affair.
Layer David Mena, who represents the family, told Ynet on Friday: "Everybody is in shock. We thought that this was (the result of) a malfunction, but the scope of the failure that was revealed today is greater than we had imagined: a wounded person not being harnessed to a stretcher, use of a defective stretcher, and a large number of people on the medevac are more than a simple human error.
"Alaa's parents and brothers are living the tragedy once again. We've been informed that the rescue team commander has been suspended of his duty, and it is important that the lessons of this great disaster are learned and that this doesn't happen again."
