Four people, including a Chilean citizen, were killed when a reconnaissance aircraft belonging to Algeria’s Civil Protection crashed near Ferhat Abbas Airport in Jijel province, northeastern Algeria.
According to official sources, the accident occurred during a training mission, with authorities noting that the victims were carrying out their professional duties.
The victims include Colonel Redouane Berji (head of the Civil Protection Air Unit), trainee pilot Ghlaï Soheib, a flight instructor from a private school, and the Chilean director of a private airline.
The cause of the crash has not yet been determined, but local reports indicated that the aircraft had been on a mission to monitor forest fires in neighboring Skikda province before returning to refuel.
The incident comes as Algeria strengthens its aerial firefighting capabilities, deploying more than 15 aircraft of various sizes, in addition to several military planes and dozens of helicopters.
