The IAR 330-Puma helicopter crashed in the area of Gura Dobrogei, killing all seven people on board, the Defense Ministry confirmed
Bucharest: At least eight military personnel were killed on Wednesday when their helicopter and fighter jet crashed in bad weather in eastern Romania near the Black Sea, marking the worst day of air force crashes in recent years.
The EU member is on the front line to bolster NATO's eastern flank as Russia continues to attack neighboring Ukraine and international reinforcements have come in recent weeks.
The Defense Ministry said the IAR 330-Puma helicopter crashed in the area of Gura Dobrogei, 11 kilometers (seven miles) from the airfield, killing all seven people on board.
It was discovered shortly after the fighter jet - part of a formation of two MiG-21 Lancer aircraft performing aerial patrol missions - lost contact and disappeared from radar.
Later on Wednesday, the fighter jet was also found, which crashed near Kogiylak, an uninhabited area near the Black Sea, the defense ministry said.
It said the 31-year-old pilot died.
- 'Sad night' -
"It is too early to discuss possible causes. There were, of course, unfavorable weather conditions, but we cannot comment right now," spokesman General Konstantin Spanu said on local television on Wednesday.
According to the ministry, the pilot of the helicopter had reported adverse weather conditions and was ordered to return to base.
All IAR 330-Puma and MiG-Lancer aircraft will be stopped during the investigation into the cause of the accident.
On Thursday, military and religious memorial ceremonies for the victims will be held in all Romanian military units.
President Klaus Iohannes sent "his thoughts to the bereaved families" of the crash victims in a statement late Wednesday, which he called "a sad night for Romanian aviation".
In July 2010, 12 people were killed and two were injured when an AN-2 aircraft crashed on a parachute training flight mission.
This left the type of aircraft to the Romanian military, which was no longer considered safe.
Later that month, his helicopter crashed in central Romania, killing six Israeli soldiers and one Romanian.
Crashes of MiG 21 Lancer happen occasionally.
In 2018, a Romanian Air Force pilot died after a MiG 21 LanR crashed during an air show in the southeast of the country.
The Romanian Air Force still relies on Soviet-era MiGs for the mission of air policing, although it is modernizing its aircraft.
- Eastern side of NATO -
Romania, now part of NATO and the European Union, a former member of the communist bloc, has seen thousands of refugees since Russia invaded its neighbor Ukraine last week.
In the past months of rising regional tensions, Romania has repeatedly demanded that reinforcements be sent to the eastern side of NATO.
His colleagues have responded.
The United States has in recent weeks sent a squadron of Stryker armored vehicles and some 1,000 soldiers to a Romanian base near the Black Sea, adding to the 900 personnel already stationed in the country.
And over the past month, six Eurofighter Typhoon planes from Germany's air force have joined four similar planes sent to Italy before the crisis.
More than 500 French troops are being sent to the Eastern European country this week.
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