Rescue helicopter crashes in Sulaimani, injuring two

SULAIMANI,— A rescue helicopter crashed in the mountains of Sulaimani city in Iraqi Kurdistan region on Friday while retrieving the body of a man killed in a car accident, injuring two crew members, authorities said.

The crash happened on Mount Azmar after a vehicle plunged down a steep slope late Thursday, killing the driver, according to the Sulaimani Traffic Directorate.

Officials said the accident site was too difficult to reach by road, prompting the deployment of a helicopter.

“A technical problem caused the aircraft to crash during the recovery mission,” the traffic police said in a statement.

The two men on board — the pilot, identified as Amid Hussen Fayzullah, head of the Sulaimani Aviation Team, and a traffic officer — were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to spokesperson Bakhtiyar Mohammed. Both are in stable condition.

Relatives of the deceased driver identified him as Ahmed Rasul, 50, who worked in tower maintenance on the mountain. According to family member Qudsi Ismail, Rasul was returning from work on Thursday when his car fell from the road into harsh terrain. His body was located on Friday after several hours of searching.

“Due to the area’s difficulty, a helicopter was sent after coordination between traffic police, Asayish forces, and other agencies,” Ismail said.

Local sources said that the helicopter crashed from a low altitude, about 10 to 12 meters, and there was no fire after the impact. Volunteers assisted in carrying the injured down the mountain.

After being retrieved, Rasul’s body was taken for forensic examination and later buried in his village of Khamza, relatives said.

Helicopter accidents are uncommon in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region. One of the last major incidents occurred in March 2023, when two helicopters carrying members of the Syrian Democratic Forces’ anti-terror units crashed in Sulaimani, killing nine.

(With files from Channel8 | Rudaw | Agencies)