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Two MiG-21 Lancer fighter jets
Photo: DANIEL MIHAILESCU/ AFP
The Romanian Air Force suffered two mysterious accidents on Wednesday.
According to Romanian media reports, all seven crew members died when a military helicopter crashed in the south-east of the country.
The helicopter crew was on a search mission after an Air Force MiG-21 Lancer fighter jet went missing.
Both incidents happened about 100 kilometers as the crow flies from the border with Ukraine on the Black Sea.
The IAR-330 Puma helicopter initially lost contact with the control tower while searching for the military machine and then crashed near the town of Cogealac, the reports said.
Shortly before, the helicopter pilot had received the order from the control tower to turn back because of bad weather.
Fighter jet still missing
At first there was still no trace of the MiG machine.
It had taken off from Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Force Base near the port city of Constanta on a patrol mission and then disappeared from radar.
The US military has been stationed at the base for years.
Since the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, NATO troop contingents and equipment have been increased there.
kim/dpa