[VIDEO LINK IN BELOW] After hours of rumors, the IDF has lifted a gag order and permits the publication of the sad news that an IAF F-16 fighter plane went down in the Southern Chevron Hills area. The pilot, Lt. Assaf Ramon, was killed in the crash, which occurred near the community of Maale Chever.

It took air force search officials about 90 minutes before locating the remains of the fighter jet. Blackhawk choppers were carrying members of the elite 669 rescue unit, hoping to find the pilot alive.

IAF Commander Major-General Ido Nehushtan is with the grief-stricken family, as is former commander Eitan Eliyahu, who was a colleague of Colonel Ilan. Nehushtan has ordered an investigation into the fatal crash to determine the cause.

The young pilot escaped death in a training flight in March, and recently received his pilot’s wings, graduating the training program a number of weeks ago. He was the oldest of four children, and his father, Colonel Ilan Ramon Z”L, was Israel’s first astronaut, who perished along with the crew of the ill-fated Columbia NASA STS-107 Columbia mission in 2003.

Funeral arrangements to be announced.

YWN VIDEO LINK: Click HERE for a video of Israeli President Shimon Peres congratulating Assaf Ramon at his graduation just a few months ago.

Click HERE for stories previously posted by YWN regarding Assaf Ramon.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)