Helicopter was involved in evacuating people in a humanitarian emergency situation in northern Iraq.  Crashed – killing the pilot (reported as “Majed”) – possibly due to overloading. Those on board included

• Yazidi member of parliament, Vian Dakheel
• New York Times reporter Alissa Rubin – see story
• Australian photographer Adam Ferguson, freelancing for the New York Times
• Photographer Moises Saman, on assignment for TIME – see story

One of the (apparently two) Mi-17s involved in this work was YI-403 (see video here).  The ITV reporter quotes one flight of the Mi-17 taking as many as 50 (yes, fifty) refugees on board, desperate to escape their dire situation (see TIME video for typical flight)

Fuad Hussein, the chief of staff for the president of the Kurdistan region, attributed the crash to an accidental loss of control by the pilot when the aircraft hit a boulder as it was lifting off.

Date:

12 August, 2014

Make:

Mil

Model:

Mi-17

Location:

Mount Sinjar

Country:

Iraq

Civil / Military:

Military

Fatalities:

1

Operator:

Iraqi-Air-Force

Link:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2723846/Horrific-moment-passengers-pulled-wreckage-Iraqi-helicopter-crashed-refugees-jumped-board-killing-pilot.html

Link:

http://www.nationaljournal.com/defense/helicopter-crashes-in-iraq-after-delivering-aid-to-yazidis-20140812