BREAKING NEWS

State to pay NIS 2M to family whose son fell out of chopper

Alaa Aghbaria's family sued after he fell to his death from chopper during minefield airlift The state reached a NIS 2M out-of-court settlement on Wednesday with the family of a hiker who fell to his death from an IAF helicopter airlifting him to safety from a minefield.
The family of 24-year-old Alaa Aghbaria sued the state for NIS 4.2 million after Aghbaria plummeted to his death in March 2009, as the IAF tried to rescue him from a minefield near the border with Jordan.
The 669 helicopter came to rescue Aghbaria after he was stepped on a mine and was seriously wounded. Aghbaria slipped from his rescuers' grasp and fell to his death, which his family argued was a result of negligence on behalf of the IAF.
The State Attorney's Office said the compromise was reached following extensive negotiations between the Defense Ministry, the Northern District Attorney and Aghbaria's family.
After the Nazareth District Court ruled to accept the agreement on Wednesday afternoon, Aghbaria's family withdrew the lawsuit.