Rescue Helicopter Crashes in Sulaimani During Recovery Mission; Two Crew Injured
A Sulaimani Traffic Directorate helicopter crashed near Azmar Mountain during a mission to recover a deceased motorist. The two crew members were injured but are reported to be in good condition.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In a dramatic and unfortunate turn of events in the mountains near Sulaimani, a helicopter belonging to the Sulaimani Traffic Directorate crashed on Friday while attempting to retrieve the body of a motorist killed in a separate accident in the same treacherous terrain.
The two occupants of the helicopter were injured in the crash, which occurred between the mountains of Haruta and Azmar, turning a somber recovery mission into a secondary rescue operation.
Aram Bakhtiar, a Kurdistan24 correspondent in Sulaimani, reported from the scene that the tragic sequence of events began with a fatal traffic accident.
A car had fallen from Azmar Mountain, and its driver tragically lost his life.
Due to the extremely difficult and inaccessible nature of the terrain where the vehicle came to rest, a helicopter was dispatched to the area to retrieve the deceased’s body. However, during this critical operation, the helicopter itself crashed, resulting in injuries to its two crew members.
According to information obtained by Kurdistan24, the citizen who perished in the initial automotive accident was identified as Ahmed Khamzayi, a 52-year-old resident of Sulaimani city.
The incident occurred while Mr. Khamzayi was returning from his duties at a communication tower located on Azmar Mountain. His vehicle was involved in a traffic accident that caused it to fall from the mountain, resulting in his death.
Relatives of Ahmed Khamzayi provided further details on the harrowing timeline of events, recounting that he had been out of contact with his family since the previous night.
His body was later discovered in the valley below Azmar Mountain after a search was initiated. The family members explained that the location where he was found was so difficult to reach that they were compelled to seek specialized assistance.
“Because of the difficulty of the location, we contacted the Sulaimani aviation team,” the relatives stated.
It was during this subsequent recovery attempt that the second incident occurred.
The family confirmed that the helicopter dispatched to the scene also went down. “The helicopter also crashed,” they reported.
They were able to identify the injured crew as the helicopter’s captain, Brigadier Hussein Faizullah, and his co-pilot. Following the crash, the family and others on the ground assisted in the rescue effort.
“We transported them to Anwer Sheikha Hospital,” the relatives added, providing a crucial update on the crew's condition by confirming that “their health is now in good condition.”
In a statement on Friday, the Sulaimani Traffic Directorate confirmed that the crash occurred “due to a technical failure while attempting to rescue a driver and several passengers whose vehicle had fallen from the mountain.”
According to the Directorate, rescue teams from the Traffic Department and other relevant authorities immediately rushed to the site. The body of the deceased motorist was recovered and transferred to the forensic department for legal procedures.
The statement also confirmed that both pilots were transported to Shar Hospital in Sulaimani, where their condition was described as stable. Brig. Faizullah is currently receiving the necessary medical treatment.
Despite the grave nature of the incident, the swift response of rescue teams ensured that the injured crew survived and that the victim’s body was successfully retrieved.
This Article was Updated by Ahora Qadi at 5:11 PM.
