Peres in Romania for air crash memorial
Air Force Commander Ido Nehushtan tours place of IDF helicopter accident on Carpathian Mountains, attends ceremony at Bucharest synagogue together with president in memory of six Israeli soldiers killed in last month's disaster
During his visit, Major-General Nehushtan flew together with the Romanian air force commander to the Carpathian Mountains, where the chopper crashed, and toured the area.
On Thursday afternoon, President Shimon Peres laid a wreath at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier in Carol Park. The Israeli national anthem was sounded during the ceremony along with the Romanian anthem. Official representatives from both countries attended the event.
Peres was invited to Bucharest by Romanian President Traian Basescu and is expected to also meet with leaders of the Romanian parliament.
Peres in Bucharest (Photo: AFP)
During a ceremony attended by 400 representatives of the Jewish community in Romania and senior government and army officials, Peres lit candles in memory of the seven crash victims.
"Our Air Force has unusual people, who love their people, serve peace and are willing to take risks for it, and sometimes even pay a heavy price," the president said.
Hermina Dragnea, the widow of the Romanian crewmember killed in the disaster attended the ceremony as well. She was embraced by Peres, who told her, "We share the exact same sentiment. You are as precious to us all as any Israeli wife who has lost her loved one."
Peres and Nehushtan have also been invited to a special dinner with the Romanian president on Thursday evening.
On Friday, the Air Force commander and his delegation members will attend an official ceremony in memory of Holocaust victims in the Romanian capital together with President Peres. Nehushtan is also schedule to meet with the Romanian chief of staff.
The delegation will return to Israel on Friday afternoon.
The six Israelis killed in the crash were named as Lt. Col (Res.) Avner Goldman, 48, of Modiin; Lt. Col. Daniel Shipenbauer, 43, of Kidron; Maj. Yahel Keshet, 33, of Hatzerim; Maj. Lior Shai, 28, of Tel-Nof; Lt. Nir Lakrif, 25, of Tel- Nof; and Staff Sergeant Oren Cohen, 24, of Rehovot.
The seventh soldier killed in the crash was 31-year-old Captain Stefan-Claudiu Dragnea, of the Romanian Air Force.
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