Last report of pilot: "We are six minutes to landing"

The deceased in the Cobra helicopter crash at night are Lieutenant Colonel Noam Ron, 49 from Oranit, and Major Erez Plesker, 31, from Herzelia.

Meanwhile, details of the accident, during which the two pilots died - become more widely known from the initial inquiry: findings raise the concern that it was a technical failure, but it still is not final, and it may have occurred as a result of other causes.

A military source said that the helicopter fell from a height of 400 meters, was found whole, except for some parts that were found within a hundred meters away.

Another possibility raised in the initial investigation is that one of the rotors failed and due to the altitude the pilots were unable to comment or report.

The leading pilot said in his latest report: "We are six minutes to landing at Palmachim".

Air force commander came this morning to the scene and toured the area.

Zvika Fenigel, a witness, said to 'Wallah' site: "At about one o'clock I heard the helicopter and suddenly it stopped working and came back again. It seemed like the rotor of the helicopter stopped and suddenly we heard the crash. We went outside and saw the smoke. At first we were afraid to go to up to the helicopter, but after we saw forces arriving we ran and saw the broken helicopter, the part of the rotor and other parts of the helicopter. "

At around 01:00 at night contact was lost with the helicopter, which was on its way back from a training sortie to the Palmachim base. Extensive search and rescue forces including helicopters, UAV (un-manned aircraft) and ground forces were rushed to the area and began searching.

Following the report, a large force of the IDF, Magen David Adom, fire, Zaka and Ichud Hatzala aided by helicopters of the Air Force, performed scans in the entire Southern region, especially in Chafetz Chaim, Revidim, Gedera - Kidron, until the remains of the helicopter were identified in a wheat field, near the entrance of Kibbutz Revidim, leading to the location of the helicopter and pilots z"l.

Hours later, at around 5:15 remains of the helicopter were located.

Air Force Commander, Gen. Amir Eshel, ordered the establishment of an army commission of inquiry. In addition, the Corps Commander instructed the grounding of the Air Viper system, to determine the circumstances of the accident.

The funeral of Lt. - Gen. (res.) Noam Ron, 49 from Oranim, will be held tomorrow (Wednesday) at 16:00 in the cemetery at Morasha.

The funeral of Lieutenant - Captain (Ret.) Erez Plesker, 31, of Herzliya, will be held tomorrow (Wednesday) at 11:00 am at the military cemetery in Herzliya.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!