Romania: Bodies recovered from chopper crash site
Search teams find remains of some victims of Monday's helicopter crash near Brasov; bodies transferred to forensics lab. Dozens of Israelis, cadaver dogs taking part in search
ROMANIA – Some of the bodies of those killed in the helicopter crash near Brasov were recovered on Wednesday..
Monday's crash claimed the lives of six Israel Air Force soldiers and a Romanian military officer.
The bodies have been transferred to a forensics lab in Brasov. Romanian military police are securing the lab.
After an initial examination of the bodies, it will be decided whether they will be sent for further examination in the capital Bucharest or to an airport in Brasov.
Dozens of Israelis are participating in the search for the victims' remains. Cadaver dogs are also being used in the search. Some 50 Romanian police and military personnel have deployed in the area.
Helicopter wreckage (Photo: Romanian TV)
The operation to recover the bodies was launched in the morning hours, when an IDF mission, including members of the Unit 669 rescue team, departed from a Romanian air force base to the site of the helicopter crash.
The mission left in IAF Yasur helicopters, and the slight improvement in weather conditions made it easier for the search teams to reach the site and recover the bodies.
The choppers landed close to the crash location, and members of the Unit 669 rescue team continued by foot a few kilometers to the actual site.
Military officials emphasized that the mountainous terrain is making movement difficult.
A representative of the IDF Spokesperson's Unit told Romanian television, "The people in Israel and the Israeli army are partners with the Romanian nation and army in this disaster."
Earlier Wednesday, a memorial ceremony for the crash victims was held at an IDF base in Arad.
The IDF announced Tuesday that search teams located the helicopter's black box, which will make it easier to decide what caused the fatal accident. The box was found by a Romanian search team, which then sent a photo of the box to the IDF for identification.
The army hopes to conclude the search by nightfall.
Hanan Greenberg contributed to the report
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