A helicopter sent to search for a Romanian military MiG-21 Lancer that dropped off the radar has crashed, Romanian Defense Ministry spokesperson Constantin Spinu said Wednesday, announcing that all soldiers on board had died.
The helicopter crashed on Wednesday near the village of Gura Dobrogei in eastern Romania close to the Black Sea while searching for the missing fighter jet and its pilot.
The pilot of the IAR 330-Puma helicopter had reported unfavorable weather conditions and had been called back to base prior to the crash, the ministry said. The fate and location of the MiG plane were still unknown.
The ministry initially said the crash had killed five soldiers, but later updated the death toll.
"I give my profound regret and full compassion for the loss of seven soldiers from the Mihail Kogalniceanu air base," Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said.
Romania, a European Union and NATO member, plans to phase out its MiG planes and is flying F-16s.
The disappearance and crash come amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, which borders Romania.
Bucharest has said it will send 3 million euros ($3.34 million) worth of "fuel, bullet-proof vests, helmets, munition, and other military equipment" to Kyiv.
Romania has pledged to host up to half a million Ukrainians and has taken in thousands already, with others passing through on to other countries. Its Defense Ministry has said that 11 Romanian military hospitals were also ready to take in wounded Ukrainians.
