Tripoli, Libya: Five people lost their lives when a helicopter crashed near Al-Sarra Air Base, close to Kufra in southeastern Libya, while returning from a medical evacuation mission, Libyan officials confirmed.
The military helicopter was conducting an evacuation operation after a soldier sustained serious injuries in a traffic accident in the remote desert region near Kufra.
The aircraft was carrying two military transport personnel, a medical team that included a nurse, and the flight crew when it went down just before its scheduled return to base. Emergency response teams reached the site quickly but confirmed that none of the occupants survived the crash.
The deceased have been identified as Mustafa Majdi Hamid Wahida and Ali Fayez Al-Nazzal, both members of the military transport service, and Faraj Al-Nazzal, a nurse affiliated with Martyr Attia Al-Kasah Hospital in Kufra. The identities of the pilot and his assistant have not yet been publicly released.
Local authorities have confirmed that an official investigation has been launched to determine what caused the helicopter to crash, but early details have not been disclosed. It remains unclear whether mechanical failure, environmental conditions or other factors played a role.
The tragedy occurred “during a rescue mission” at the Al-Sarra facility, reinforcing the risks faced by aviation crews operating in Libya’s vast desert regions, where harsh weather, limited infrastructure and long-distance flights complicate emergency operations.
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