Latest news with #FinnishAirForce
India Today
17-05-2025
- General
- India Today
Estonian businessmen among 5 dead as two helicopters collide midair in Finland
Two helicopters collided in mid-air over the western Eura province of Finland on Saturday, killing all five on board, Finnish news outlet Helsinki Times reported. The helicopters crashed to the ground after the police said that five people were on board the two helicopters, and there were "several fatalities." The authorities are yet to determine the victims and the complete details of the accident occurred close to Eura airport, within the area that British helicopter squadrons had been deployed recently for military manoeuvres in late April. Finnish General Staff verified that no Finnish Air Force or foreign military aircraft were involved. The helicopters were civilian and were said to be carrying businessmen who flew from FLIGHT PATH AND WITNESS ACCOUNTS Local media reported that one helicopter had three passengers, and the other had two. Both the helicopters departed from Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, and were on their way to Piikajarvi Airport in Kokemaki, some 15 kilometers from Eura airport. The crash occurred at midday, west of Helsinki, said eyewitnesses.A witness, Antti Marjanen, told Finnish newspaper Iltalehti that one helicopter appeared to hit the other during a flight maneuver. "One of them dropped like a stone and the other one more slowly. I didn't hear any sound," he arrived shortly after the accident was reported at 12:35 p.m. local time. Rescue and patrol teams are in the area, which has been closed off for investigation. The two helicopters were discovered approximately 100 meters apart in a woodlands area close to Eura airport. Airport access roads have been closed to enable emergency services to move safely.
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First Post
17-05-2025
- General
- First Post
Two helicopters collide mid-air over Finland's Eura province; fate of passengers unknown
Authorities have identified the pilots of both helicopters, but investigations are still underway to confirm the identities of the other passengers. read more Two helicopters collided mid-air and crashed in Finland's western Eura province, shocking onlookers who witnessed the incident unfold. The helicopters plummeted to the ground following the collision, but the number of casualties remains unclear. Police confirmed that five people were on board—two in one helicopter and three in the other at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in the same region where British helicopter squadrons were recently stationed during the Finnish Army's spring exercises in late April. However, a spokesperson for the Finnish General Staff confirmed that no aircraft belonging to the Finnish Air Force or any international military was involved in the crash. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Authorities have identified the pilots of both helicopters, but investigations are still underway to confirm the identities of the other passengers.
Straits Times
07-05-2025
- General
- Straits Times
Finnish fighter jet crashes in Arctic town, pilot ejected
The pilot of the F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet was rescued after ejecting, Finland's armed forces said. PHOTO: AFP ROVANIEMI, Finland - A Finnish F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet crashed on May 7 near the Rovaniemi airport in Finland's Arctic north, but the pilot was rescued after ejecting, the armed forces said. The crash occurred 'in the Rovaniemi airport area' around 11am (4pm in Singapore), the military said in a statement. 'The aircraft crashed during a rehearsal for an airshow,' Brigadier-General Timo Herranen, commander of the Finnish Air Force, told AFP. Brig-Gen Herranen said 'the pilot luckily was able to eject from the aircraft' and had only sustained 'mild injuries'. Brig-Gen Herranen did not wish to comment on a possible reason for the accident 'at this stage' and said an investigation was under way. According to the military, there were 'no injuries on the ground'. Dark smoke could be seen rising from the scene and several emergency vehicles were dispatched to the area. Witness Mika Lehtiniemi saw the fighter jet in the sky just before the crash as he drove along a nearby bridge. He told Finnish broadcaster YLE it was flying unusually low over the Syvasenvaara residential area before it appeared to stall, its nose turning upwards. 'The plane stood up very strongly and turned on its back, as it were. Then a few seconds passed and I saw a cloud of black smoke. I didn't see the fire, (just) the black horrible smoke,' he said. Airport operator Finavia told AFP it did not expect civilian flights to be affected by the accident for the time being, with the next flight not expected for several hours. A Nordic defence ministers' meeting was taking place in Rovaniemi on May 7. The ministers were watching the exercises at the time, but were in a safe area far away from where the accident occurred. 'We did not see the accident, but we were informed immediately,' Finnish Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen said in a post to X. The Finnish air force's fleet of F/A-18 Hornets were delivered by Boeing between 1995 and 2000 and are due to be decommissioned by 2030, replaced by F-35s from rival US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin. AFP Finland fleet of F/A-18 Hornets are due to be decommissioned by 2030. PHOTO: AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
France 24
07-05-2025
- General
- France 24
Finnish fighter jet crashes in Arctic town, pilot ejected
The crash occurred "in the Rovaniemi airport area" around 11:00 am (0800 GMT), the military said in a statement. "The aircraft crashed during a rehearsal for an airshow," Timo Herranen, commander of the Finnish Air Force, told AFP. Herranen said "the pilot luckily was able to eject from the aircraft" and had only sustained "mild injuries". Herranen did not wish to comment on a possible reason for the accident "at this stage" and said an investigation was underway. According to the military, there were "no injuries on the ground". Dark smoke could be seen rising from the scene and several emergency vehicles were dispatched to the area. He told Finnish broadcaster YLE it was flying unusually low over the Syvasenvaara residential area before it appeared to stall, its nose turning upwards. "The plane stood up very strongly and turned on its back, as it were. Then a few seconds passed and I saw a cloud of black smoke. I didn't see the fire, (just) the black horrible smoke," he said. Airport operator Finavia told AFP it did not expect civilian flights to be affected by the accident for the time being, with the next flight not expected for several hours. A Nordic defence ministers' meeting was taking place in Rovaniemi on Wednesday. The ministers were watching the exercises at the time, but were in a safe area far away from where the accident occurred. "We did not see the accident, but we were informed immediately," Finnish Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen said in a post to X. The Finnish air force's fleet of F/A-18 Hornets were delivered by Boeing between 1995 and 2000 and are due to be decommissioned by 2030, replaced by F-35s from rival US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin.
South China Morning Post
07-05-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
Finnish fighter jet crashes in Arctic town, pilot ejected
A Finnish F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet crashed on Wednesday near the Rovaniemi airport in Finland's Arctic north, but the pilot was rescued after ejecting, the armed forces said. Advertisement The crash occurred 'in the Rovaniemi airport area' around 11am, the military said in a statement. 'The aircraft crashed during a rehearsal for an air show,' Timo Herranen, commander of the Finnish Air Force, told AFP. Herranen said 'the pilot luckily was able to eject from the aircraft' and had only sustained 'mild injuries'. Herranen did not wish to comment on a possible reason for the accident 'at this stage' and said an investigation was under way. Rescue personnel and vehicles work at the site where the jet crashed. Photo: via AP According to the military, there were 'no injuries on the ground'.
