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Canadian-born pilot dies in Israeli chopper crash
Canadian Press
TORONTO — A Canadian-born pilot serving in the Israeli Air Force was killed Monday after the helicopter he was flying crashed in northern Israel.
Lieutenant Tom Farkash, 23, had planned to fly to Canada to meet with childhood friends, but put off his vacation due to the conflict with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.
“He was a perfect grandson. Everyone liked him. I am speechless,” Lt. Farkash's grandfather, Shlomo, told Ynet News, an Israeli news website.
The Israeli army is looking into whether the crash near the holy city of Safed, about 15 kilometres south of the Lebanese border, was caused by friendly fire.
Related to this article
An undated photo released by the Israeli Defence Forces shows Canadian-born pilot First Lieutenant Tom Farkash, 23, who was killed when his helicopter crashed in an orchard in northern Israel on Monday. (AP)
Latest Comments
'Friendly fire'! Will anybody muster enough energy, one happy...
#2 Rupert Bumphrey from London, United Kingdom, Although the...
The death in a war zone of Lt Farkash is sad, to be sure, but...
9 reader comments | Comments closed
At first, the army said human error or a technical malfunction caused the crash of the Apache helicopter. But it later reported Israeli artillery fire could have downed the chopper.
Lt. Farkash was born in Canada, where his Israeli parents had moved when they were young. Eleven years ago they moved back to Israel and settled in Caesarea, a coastal town north of Tel Aviv.
Lt. Farkash was drafted to the Israeli Defence Forces, where he completed his pilot's course and served as a helicopter gunship pilot.
Military service is mandatory for all Israelis aged 18-21.
Lt. Farkash's family worried for the pilot's fate after two other Apache helicopters collided in the region last week.
“They passed a night of panic. But after inquiries, it became clear that their son was not on either of the helicopters and they breathed a sigh of relief,” a relative told Ynet.
Lt. Farkash's uncle, Yaniv Alafia, told Ynet everyone liked the young pilot.
“He is the family's firstborn son, a successful and handsome boy. He had a special connection with his sisters. His mother had a gut feeling that something happened to him,” he said.
“When the family heard about a helicopter crashing they began checking if Tom was on it, and quickly understood that he was killed.”
Lt. Farkash's father, Doron, also served in the Israeli Air Force as a Skyhawk pilot. He is now a captain for El Al, Israel's airline.
He received the news of his son's death in Toronto, where he works.
“Tom entered the pilot's course because he was good, not because his father was a pilot,” a relative told Ynet.
Canadian-born pilot dies in Israeli chopper crash
Canadian Press
TORONTO — A Canadian-born pilot serving in the Israeli Air Force was killed Monday after the helicopter he was flying crashed in northern Israel.
Lieutenant Tom Farkash, 23, had planned to fly to Canada to meet with childhood friends, but put off his vacation due to the conflict with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.
“He was a perfect grandson. Everyone liked him. I am speechless,” Lt. Farkash's grandfather, Shlomo, told Ynet News, an Israeli news website.
The Israeli army is looking into whether the crash near the holy city of Safed, about 15 kilometres south of the Lebanese border, was caused by friendly fire.
Related to this article
An undated photo released by the Israeli Defence Forces shows Canadian-born pilot First Lieutenant Tom Farkash, 23, who was killed when his helicopter crashed in an orchard in northern Israel on Monday. (AP)
Latest Comments
'Friendly fire'! Will anybody muster enough energy, one happy...
#2 Rupert Bumphrey from London, United Kingdom, Although the...
The death in a war zone of Lt Farkash is sad, to be sure, but...
9 reader comments | Comments closed
At first, the army said human error or a technical malfunction caused the crash of the Apache helicopter. But it later reported Israeli artillery fire could have downed the chopper.
Lt. Farkash was born in Canada, where his Israeli parents had moved when they were young. Eleven years ago they moved back to Israel and settled in Caesarea, a coastal town north of Tel Aviv.
Lt. Farkash was drafted to the Israeli Defence Forces, where he completed his pilot's course and served as a helicopter gunship pilot.
Military service is mandatory for all Israelis aged 18-21.
Lt. Farkash's family worried for the pilot's fate after two other Apache helicopters collided in the region last week.
“They passed a night of panic. But after inquiries, it became clear that their son was not on either of the helicopters and they breathed a sigh of relief,” a relative told Ynet.
Lt. Farkash's uncle, Yaniv Alafia, told Ynet everyone liked the young pilot.
“He is the family's firstborn son, a successful and handsome boy. He had a special connection with his sisters. His mother had a gut feeling that something happened to him,” he said.
“When the family heard about a helicopter crashing they began checking if Tom was on it, and quickly understood that he was killed.”
Lt. Farkash's father, Doron, also served in the Israeli Air Force as a Skyhawk pilot. He is now a captain for El Al, Israel's airline.
He received the news of his son's death in Toronto, where he works.
“Tom entered the pilot's course because he was good, not because his father was a pilot,” a relative told Ynet.
