Doha [Qatar], March 22 : All seven individuals onboard a Qatari Armed Forces helicopter that crashed during a training mission earlier today have been confirmed dead, including one Turkish soldier and two personnel from Turkish defence company Aselsan.
According to a statement issued by the Turkish Ministyr of Defence, search and rescue operations were launched immediately after the crash, leading to the recovery of the wreckage and the bodies of those onboard.
The ministry confirmed that the victims included four personnel from the Qatari Armed Forces, one member of the Turkish Armed Forces, and two technicians from Aselsan, adding that the exact cause of the accident would be determined following a detailed investigation by Qatari authorities.
"Search and rescue operations were immediately launched, and the wreckage of the helicopter and the bodies of our martyrs were recovered. Four Qatari Armed Forces personnel, one Turkish Armed Forces personnel, and two ASELSAN technicians on board the helicopter were martyred in the accident. The exact cause of the accident will be determined by the Qatari authorities following an investigation," the Turkish Defence Ministry stated.
The incident occurred at dawn on Sunday, when the helicopter, operating under the Qatar-Turkey Joint Combined Force Command, went down in regional waters. Initial findings suggest that the crash was caused by a technical malfunction.
Separately, Qatar's Ministry of Defence identified the deceased as Captain (Pilot) Mubarak Salem Daway Al-Marri, Sergeant Fahad Hadi Ghanem Al-Khayarin, Corporal Mohammed Maher Mohammed and Captain (Pilot) Saeed Nasser Samekh from the Qatari Armed Forces and Major Sinan Tastekin of the Qatar-Turkey Joint Forces.
The other two were identified as Suleiman Cemra Kahraman and Ismail Anas Can.
Qatar's Ministry of Defence extended condolences to the families of the victims, praying for mercy and peace for the deceased.
Turkey's defence ministry also conveyed its sympathies to the families, the Turkish Armed Forces, the Qatari Armed Forces, and the people of both nations.