Small Civil Defense Plane Crashes in Algeria, Killing Four Including Chilean National

Kokcha News Agency – A small civil defense aircraft, used for reconnaissance and monitoring forest fires, crashed shortly after takeoff near Ferhat Abbas Airport in Jijel, eastern Algeria. The Algerian Civil Protection Directorate confirmed the incident, which claimed the lives of four individuals, including a Chilean national.

Among the victims were Colonel Ridwan Berci, commander of the Civil Protection Air Unit, trainee pilot Suheyb Galayi, an unnamed flight school instructor, and a Chilean national working for the company “Air Tractor.”

Immediate Crash After Takeoff:
According to local sources, the plane crashed just one minute after takeoff, falling within the perimeter fence of Ferhat Abbas Airport, approximately 15 kilometers east of Jijel. The aircraft had been returning to Jijel for refueling after monitoring forest fires in the nearby city of Skikda before resuming its mission.

Algeria’s Firefighting Efforts:
Algeria has allocated more than 15 small and medium-sized aircraft, one large military plane, and dozens of helicopters from the civil protection and armed forces to combat forest fires during this year’s summer season.