 The remains of one of the crashed helicopters | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | February 4, 1997 |
| Summary | Mid-air collision |
| Site | She'ar Yashuv in northern Israel 33°13′20″N 35°38′28″E / 33.22222°N 35.64111°E |
| Total fatalities | 73 |
| Total survivors | 0 |
| First aircraft | |
| Type | Sikorsky S-65C-3 Yas'ur 2000 |
| Operator |  Israeli Air Force |
| Registration | 357 |
| Fatalities | 37 |
| Survivors | 0 |
| Second aircraft | |
| Type | Sikorsky S-65C-3 Yas'ur 2000 |
| Operator | Israeli Air Force |
| Registration | 903 |
| Fatalities | 36 |
| Survivors | 0 |
The 1997 Israeli helicopter disaster (Hebrew: אסון המסוקים, romanized: Ason HaMasokim, lit. ''Disaster of the Helicopters'') occurred on February 4, 1997, when two Israeli Air Force transport helicopters ferrying Israeli soldiers into Israel's security zone in southern Lebanon collided in mid-air, killing all 73 Israeli military personnel on board. The crash brought about widespread national mourning and is considered a leading factor in Israel's decision to withdraw from southern Lebanon in 2000.