Eight Israeli airmen were killed in a freak mid-air accident involving two Air Force helicopters Friday. The names of the dead were disclosed today when funeral services were held for them. Air Force Commander Gen. Benjamin Peled is personally investigating the tragedy which occurred when both copters attempted to land on the Manhayim air strip near Safad in Upper Galilee.
The two aircraft, were returning from operational missions. According to eye-witnesses, both descended at the same moment, one directly over the other. The lower helicopter was apparently not visible to the pilot of the higher one. The landing gear of the latter helicopter was struck by the rotors of the one directly beneath it which crashed and burst into flames killing all aboard. The second helicopter, though damaged, landed safely with no injuries to its personnel. Fire engines from the nearby Hatzor township were at the scene of the crash in less than three minutes but the eight men died before rescuers could reach them.
The dead were identified as: Capt. Adam Averbach, 24, of Sdot Yam, son of the settlement’s founder. Joseph Averbach; Lt. Michael Nir, 23, of Beersheba; Lt. Itzhak Tapuchi. 23, of Ashdod; Staff Sgt. Doron Ish Shalom, 22, of Upper Nazareth; Staff Sgt. Chaim Tachan, 23, and Sgt. Rami Yechiel, 23, both of Ashdod; Sgt. Eliezer Tamar, 23, of Bat Yam; and Sgt. Dan Farkash, 22, also of Bat Yam, son of the Israeli cartoonist. "Zeev." Sgt. Farkash was an outstanding tennis player and had toured the United States with the Israeli youth tennis team.
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