Seven killed in Qatar helicopter crash due to technical malfunction, Qatari and Turkish authorities say

Seven ‌people have been killed in a ⁠helicopter crash in Qatar’s territorial waters, Qatar and Turkey ‌said on Sunday (March 22, 2026).

The Ministry of Interior announces that its specialized teams are carrying out search and rescue operations in the country's territorial waters, following a helicopter crash, as reported by the Ministry of Defense.These operations are being carried out in close coordination by…— Ministry of Interior - Qatar (@MOI_QatarEn) March 22, 2026

The Ministry of Interior announces that its specialized teams are carrying out search and rescue operations in the country's territorial waters, following a helicopter crash, as reported by the Ministry of Defense.These operations are being carried out in close coordination by…

The Defence Ministry blamed “technical malfunction” for the helicopter crash. The Interior Ministry’s statement didn’t clarify the nationality of the dead or say if they were civilian or military.

Four of those killed were Qatari armed forces ‌personnel, one was from the Qatar-Turkey joint forces and two ⁠were technicians, the Turkish and Qatari Defence ‌Ministries said.

The Turkish Defence Ministry meanwhile said that “a Qatari armed forces helicopter, which was carrying out a training exercise as part of the Qatar-Turkey Joint Forces Command, crashed into the sea”.

Earlier, the Defence Ministry said the ‌helicopter had crashed after suffering a ‌technical malfunction during “routine duty”.

“Military cooperation and coordination activities between the Republic of Turkey and the State of Qatar ‌continue uninterrupted within the framework of existing agreements and plans,” the Turkish Defence Ministry said

While Qatar has been targeted by several strikes since the start of the West Asia war, no connection has been made between this chopper and the conflict triggered by U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran.

(With AFP, AP, Reuters inputs)

Published - March 22, 2026 08:35 am IST

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