Man who went into minefield killed when falling from rescue chopper

By JPOST.COM STAFF
A resident of Wadi Ara was killed Wednesday evening in a rescue accident when cables that secured him to a military helicopter unwound and he fell from a great height. The man went for a picnic in a field near Beit She'an which was an old minefield from the period of Israeli-Jordanian hostility. A mine that exploded under his leg injured him and he lay bleeding for an hour and a half while large rescue forces were unable to reach him because of the surrounding mines. A military helicopter eventually evacuated the person but the cables that tied him became undone for unknown reasons and he fell several dozen meters. He was killed on impact. The man was having the picnic with two other friends who managed to escape the minefield unharmed. They entered the field despite clear signs warning that mines were planted in the area.