A routine training flight took a tragic turn last night in Dubai. A helicopter piloted by trainees from South Africa and Egypt crashed into the ocean shortly after taking off from Al Maktoum International Airport around 8:30 p.m.
“The helicopter had just left the airport when it suddenly dropped from the radar,” said an air traffic controller familiar with the incident. “We knew immediately something had gone terribly wrong.”
Rescue boats and divers were deployed to search the area where the aircraft was believed to have gone down. After several hours, crews were able to locate and recover the mangled wreckage from the water.
Authorities have not yet released the identities of the two pilots killed in the accident. But officials confirmed the trainees were taking part in a standard nighttime training flight when the helicopter inexplicably plunged into the sea.
The cause of the crash is still being investigated. In the meantime, the aviation community is mourning the loss of two young pilots hoping to further their careers. The training exercise ended in tragedy, cutting their dreams short.
