Amos Levitov, legendary air force pilot captured by Egypt, dies at 73

Amos Levitov was captured by the Egyptian military during the War of Attrition on July 5, 1970 and was considered a legendary pilot.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
A helicopter waits to fly troops and equipment back after the completion of military action on Egypt’s Shadwan Island in 1970 during the War of Attrition (photo credit: MOSHE MILNER / GPO)
A helicopter waits to fly troops and equipment back after the completion of military action on Egypt’s Shadwan Island in 1970 during the War of Attrition
(photo credit: MOSHE MILNER / GPO)
Amos Levitov, an Israeli Air Force (IAF) veteran who was captured and tortured by Egypt for three years, died in the early hours of Friday morning following a prolonged battle with cancer.
Levitov previously beat cancer six times before succumbing to the disease on Friday morning.
73-year-old Levitov, considered a legendary pilot in the 69 "Hammers" squadron, was captured by the Egyptian military during the War of Attrition on July 5, 1970 with nine other Israeli POWs after his aircraft was shot down.
Following three years of physical torture, he was released in 1973 as part of a prisoner exchange deal in the ceasefire talks between Israel and Egypt following the Yom Kippur War.
After his return from captivity, he resumed his IDF service and fought in the First Lebanon War in 1982.
"It's a story people can connect to," Levitov once said to N12. "After I returned from captivity in Egypt, I resumed my service because I still wanted to pilot aircrafts. My story touched the hearts of many."

 


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