Saudi Military Helicopter Crash in Najran Leaves Two Crew Members Dead
A Saudi National Guard AH-6i helicopter crashed in the Najran region due to a technical failure, resulting in the deaths of two military crew members.
POLICY WIRE — Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — A Saudi National Guard reconnaissance helicopter went down in the southwestern Najran region on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of both crew members on board.
The Saudi-led coalition, which is currently engaged in the conflict in Yemen, attributed the fatal crash of the AH-6i aircraft to a technical malfunction.
Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Maliki confirmed the incident in a statement released on Sunday, October 18. The announcement followed reports of the crash occurring earlier that same day.
While the coalition cited mechanical failure as the cause of the accident, Yemeni Houthi forces issued a conflicting claim on the evening of October 17, asserting that they had successfully shot down a Saudi Apache helicopter in the same vicinity.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
