Seven people have been killed in a helicopter crash in Qatar's territorial waters, Qatar and Turkey said on Sunday.
The Qatari and Turkish defence ministries said the helicopter had crashed after suffering a technical malfunction, which the Qatari ministry said was during "routine duty".
Four of those killed were Qatari armed forces personnel, one was from the Qatar-Turkey joint forces and two were technicians, the Turkish and Qatari defence ministries said.
"Military cooperation and coordination activities between the Republic of Turkey and the State of Qatar continue uninterrupted within the framework of existing agreements and plans," the Turkish defence ministry said.
Earlier, Qatar’s Ministry of Defence stated that the helicopter suffered a “technical malfunction” while carrying out a routine duty. The malfunction led to the aircraft crashing into regional waters, with no immediate indication of hostile action behind the incident.
Officials have not provided further details about the exact cause beyond the reported technical failure.
Following the crash, a large-scale search and rescue operation was launched for both crew members and passengers. Teams quickly located six victims, while efforts continued to find the last missing person, who was also declared dead later.
Condolences to victims’ families
Qatar’s Ministry of Interior expressed deep condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the crash. Officials offered prayers for mercy for the deceased and strength and patience for their loved ones during this difficult time.
The crash comes at a time of increased instability in the region. Since the start of US-Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28, Qatar has faced repeated Iranian drone and missile threats.
The country’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, one of the world’s largest liquefied natural gas production hubs, has been targeted multiple times.
