At least six people were killedย after a Qatari military helicopter crashed in the Persian Gulf nation’s territorial watersย after a technical malfunction, the government said on Sunday.ย The Interior Ministry said one person is still missing from the crash, which took place the day before.
The incident comes amid the ongoing regional tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran in the Middle East.
Crashย after ‘technical malfunction’ย
The Defence Ministry blamed “technical malfunction” for the helicopter crash. “A Qatari helicopter had a technical malfunction during a routine duty, which led to its crash in the regional waters of the State,” Qatar’s defence ministry said in a statement posted to X.ย
While Qatar has been targeted by several strikes since the start of the Middle East war, no connection has been made between this chopper and the conflict triggered by US-Israeli attacks on Iran.
Search operations underwayย
The Interior Ministry’s statement didn’t clarify the nationality of the dead or say if they were civilian or military.ย
The interior ministry said that several specialised teams have been deployed in search and rescue operations. “The Ministry of Interior announces that its specialized teams are carrying out search and rescue operations in the country’s territorial waters, following a helicopter crash,” as reported by the Ministry of Defense.
The search efforts are being led by the Maritime Search and Rescue Team of the General Directorate of Coasts and Borders Security. This unit, known for its rapid response capabilities in maritime incidents, has been mobilised alongside the Qatar International Search and Rescue Group of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya).
Both teams bring extensive experience in handling complex rescue missions in challenging sea conditions.
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