Major Chen Fogel from Haifa, one of the two pilots killed in the helicopter crash

The late Lt. Col. Erez Shayini and the late Major Chen Fogel were killed last night (Monday 3/1/22) as a result of the helicopter crash off the coast of Haifa.

Major Chen Fogel, the late helicopter pilot and deputy squadron commander in the 'Defenders of the West' squadron (193), 27 years old from Haifa, Major Chen Fogel was promoted from the rank of captain to the rank of major after his death.

Lt. Col. Erez Shayini, late, deputy commander of the Ezer Weizman air force base in Ramat David, 38 years old, married and father of three from Camp Yehudit.

Major Chen Vogel, the 27-year-old pilot resident of Haifa, was killed tonight in the helicopter accident off the coast of Haifa. After his death, Vogel was promoted from captain to major.

The family will live seven days at 19 Namat Street, Apartment 8, Haifa

Vogel was a helicopter pilot and deputy commander of the 'Defenders of the West' squadron (193).

Last night (Mon 3/1/22) at 21:00 a military helicopter with 3 pilots fell into the sea in front of Shekmona beach. On the plane was the deputy commander of the air force base Lieutenant Colonel Erez Zahayini and the helicopter pilot Chen Fogel, who did not survive the accident, and a Mosk patrol officer who rescued himself after being injured in the accident and is now hospitalized at the Rambam Medical Center. The circumstances of the accident are still being investigated.

Chen's father, Yaron, paid tribute to him today:
"An intelligent, smart, sociable boy, a man who never held a weapon. He was a pilot, he had to hold a gun, he always avoided holding a weapon. He grew up in Haifa, then we went to Canada. He missed the country so much and came back. My wife got an offer back to Canada. He said he'd stay with us because he loved us. That's what brought us back. He was in patrol circles, did a year of service and then enlisted. He was so moral. He wanted patrols, but said even though he didn't want to be a pilot he'd start at the top He was not yet coherent about his dreams. He was all in the army. Work from morning to night. He was with us on Saturday. Six months after a pilot course, a guy from his course crashed and got out of it. There was this fear. We were worried that he would have a car accident because every One day he went to Rehovot. We were not afraid of the helicopter. He was a man of values. He was a Zionist and loved the country very much."

The late Fogel was a graduate of the six-year Leo Buck school in the city. Shock and heavy grief are felt at the school this morning over the death of Fogel, who graduated from Leo Buck about ten years ago.

We note that Dana Shahaini, the wife of the pilot Lt. Col. Erez Shahaini who was also killed in the terrible accident, worked as a teacher at the Leo Buck school in the previous school year.

The principal of Leo Buck High School, Dafna Yakokovitch, paid tribute to the song:

Chen Vogel graduated in 5, a handsome young man, very socially active at school, in the student society and in the tour groups of the Society for the Protection of Nature. Chen studied in a practical major: physics, chemistry and mathematics XNUMX credits and graduated with distinction, both in terms of academics and in terms of involvement the social Chen was very loved by his friends and was a central figure in the class activities, a boy with a sense of humor, smiling, very loved by his friends and teachers.

Alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid paid tribute today to Lt. Col. Erez Shahaini and pilot:

Tonight we lost two air crew fighters, the late Lt. Col. Erez Shayini and the late Major Chen Fogel. The best of the best. The heart goes out to the families who lost their dearest of all, their contribution and love for the country will accompany us and their memory forever. may them rest in peace. Sending wishes for a complete and speedy recovery to the wounded naval officer.

A moment of silence will be held tonight (Tuesday 4/1/22) at the beginning of the city council meeting, in memory of the two pilots who were killed in the accident, initiated by city council member Gerry Koren, who also announced that he will work to commemorate them in the city.

A live team here bows its head in pain and shares in the grief of the families