Eight international peacekeepers die in Sinai helicopter crash

Eight members of a multinational observer force died in a helicopter crash off Egypt’s Sinai Desert on Thursday.

They were six Americans, a French citizen and a Czech, officials said.

“During a routine mission in the vicinity of Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, nine members of the Multinational Force and Observers were involved in a helicopter crash,” the organisation said.

Another member of the force, an American, survived, the MFO said.

An official with the force, Brad Lynch, said earlier that it was “actively investigating an incident involving one of our helicopters today”.

The Israeli army said that it offered to provide immediate medical assistance.

Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said an army helicopter with search and rescue soldiers was flown to Ramon airport in southern Israel.

Israeli and Egyptian officials said a survivor was being flown to an Israeli hospital.

An Egyptian official said the UH-60 Black Hawk was on a reconnaissance mission and crashed near the island of Tiran.

The peacekeeping force flew the survivor to the Israeli resort of Eilat from where he was then taken by helicopter to a hospital further north.

Both sides said the crash appeared to have been caused by a technical failure and there were no signs of the aircraft being attacked.

The multi- national force said that it would conduct an investigation to determine the cause of the accident.

“At this point, there is no information to indicate the crash was anything except an accident,” the MFO said.

Militant groups affiliated with ISIS are known to be active in Sinai.

In February, 2018, the security forces launched a nationwide operation against militants, focused on North Sinai.

More than 930 suspected militants have been killed in the region along with dozens of security personnel, according to official figures.

The Multinational Force and Observers is a peacekeeping force that is not linked to the UN.

The international force was formed to ensure no military build-up on the borders after the 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt.

With its headquarters in Rome, the force brings together soldiers from 14 countries including the US, France, Australia, Canada, Colombia, Fiji, Japan and Norway.

There are also civilian observers.

The crash appeared to have been caused by a technical failure and there were no signs of an attack