Lebanon military helicopter crash kills two personnel, army says

Two Lebanese military personnel were killed when a helicopter crashed during a training flight east of Beirut on Wednesday, the army said.

"An air force helicopter crashed in the Hammana area during a training flight, killing two personnel and injuring one other," a statement from the army read.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known, and the statement did not say what type of helicopter was involved. Lebanese state media outlet National News Agency said poor visibility and fog may have led to the crash.

Lebanese defence minister Maurice Selim met with armed forces commander Joseph Aoun to offer condolences, the army said Thursday.

Lebanon's economy has been in free fall since late 2019, taking a toll on public institutions including the military.

The economic crisis – which the World Bank says is one of the planet's worst in modern times – has plunged more than 80 percent of the population into poverty.

After the meltdown began, the army cut back on basics such as meat in soldiers' meals, and in 2021 it even introduced helicopter joyrides for tourists in a bid to boost its coffers.