Qatar has confirmed that seven people — four Qatari military personnel and three Turkish nationals — were killed after a military helicopter crashed into the country’s territorial waters during what officials described as a routine training mission.
In a statement, Qatar’s Interior Ministry said rescue operations had been completed and all seven individuals on board had been recovered.
“All those who were on board have been found, numbering seven, and their martyrdom has been confirmed,” the ministry said.
Earlier, Qatari Armed Forces identified the four Qatari victims as Captain Mubarak Salem Daway al-Marri, Sergeant Fahad Hadi Ghanem al-Khayarin, Corporal Mohammed Maher Mohammed, and Captain Saeed Nasser Sameekh.
Authorities also confirmed the deaths of Major Sinan Tastekin, a member of the Qatar-Turkey Joint Forces Command, alongside two Turkish civilians — Suleiman Cemra Kahraman and Ismail Anas.
According to Ministry of National Defense, the helicopter was taking part in a training exercise under the joint command arrangement between Qatar and Turkey when it went down at sea.
The ministry added that one Turkish serviceman and two technicians from ASELSAN, one of Turkey’s leading defence manufacturers, were among those killed.
Qatar’s Defence Ministry said preliminary findings indicate the crash was caused by a technical malfunction during a routine flight.
The incident marks a rare military aviation tragedy involving the two allied nations and comes at a time of heightened regional tension across the Gulf.
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