1997 Israeli helicopter disaster

1997 Israeli helicopter disaster

An IDF/AF CH-53 Yasur 2000 similar to the aircraft that collided
Accident summary
Date	February 4, 1997 (1997-02-04)
Summary	Mid-air collision
Site	She'ar Yashuv in northern Israel Coordinates: 33°13′20″N 35°38′28″E / 33.22222°N 35.64111°E / 33.22222; 35.64111
Total fatalities	73
Total survivors	0
First aircraft
Type	Sikorsky S-65C-3 Yas'ur 2000
Operator	Israeli Air Force
Registration	357
Fatalities	37
Survivors	0
Second aircraft
Type	Sikorsky S-65C-3 Yas'ur 2000
Operator	Israeli Air Force
Registration	903
Fatalities	36
Survivors	0

The 1997 Israeli helicopter disaster occurred on 4 February 1997, when two Israeli Air Force transport helicopters ferrying Israeli soldiers into Israel's "security zone" in southern Lebanon collided in mid-air, killing all 73 Israeli military personnel on board. The crash brought about widespread national mourning, and is considered a leading factor in Israel's decision to withdraw from southern Lebanon in 2000.

Following the 1982 Lebanon War, Israel had withdrawn to a "security zone" in southern Lebanon, where it faced an insurgency by Hezbollah and other Lebanese groups.

Israel had originally moved troops by ground, but this policy was changed as the threat of roadside bombs increased. As a result, Israel increasingly began ferrying soldiers by air into southern Lebanon.

Two Sikorsky S-65C-3 Yas'ur 2000 helicopters, 357 and 903, were assigned on a mission to fly Israeli soldiers into southern Lebanon, originally scheduled for February 3, but pushed up a day due to bad weather conditions. On February 4, the weather conditions were still poor for flying due to fog, but in the afternoon visibility improved, and the mission was allowed to go forward.

The two helicopters took off from Tel Nof Airbase and flew to Rosh Pina Airport, from where they collected the troops. One helicopter, numbered 903, was designated to fly to the "Pumpkin" Outpost, east of Nabatiyeh, and had four crew and 32 passengers on board. The second helicopter, 357, was to fly to an Israeli position at Beaufort Castle, and had four crew and 33 passengers on board.

At 6:48 PM, after final approval was given and the soldiers had been briefed, both helicopters were cleared to take off. A minute after takeoff, the captain of helicopter 903 requested permission from air traffic control to cross the border into Lebanon, but permission was delayed, and the helicopters ended up hovering until 6:56 PM, when a controller confirmed that they had permission to cross. Three minutes later, the helicopters disappeared from radar.