Three dead in military helicopter crash in Algeria
Three Algerian soldiers died in a helicopter crash during a night time training exercise, according to Barron’s and agencies.
On the 7th February, at approximately 9:00pm local time, an Mi-171 helicopter crashed and claimed the lives of three Algerian military personnel.
The Algerian defence ministry did not specify the cause of the incident that occurred near the El-Meniaa airport; however, an investigation was opened at the request of General Said Chengriha, chief of armed forces.
President Tebboune declared his condolences to “the families of the martyrs,” and in a statement revealed that he was “praying to Allah Almighty to surround,” Colonel Amara Reda, Lieutenant-Colonel Djalal Yacine and Sergeant Belgherbi Mohamed “with His holy mercy and to welcome them into His vast paradise.”
READ: Algeria coup plot by army officers exposed by journalist
The Russian built aircraft claims to have “high survivability and flight safety”, presumably a factor as to why Algeria purchased 42 of the Mi-171 helicopters from Russia’s official arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, in 2002 for $180 million.
Between 2017-2021, over 80% of Algeria’s weaponry imports came from Russia. In December 2022, after the outbreak of Russia’s war in Ukraine, Algeria began to seek military weapons from alternative sources, such as Italy, in fear of Russia becoming unable to supply the demand.
In January 2023, an identical crash happened just 200 kilometres southwest of Algiers, as the same mark of helicopter killed three Algerian naval officers.
However, due to the recently exposed military coup plot, Algeria presumably has more to worry about than 22-year-old helicopters falling out of the sky.
AFP
