An Israel Defense Forces search and rescue team arrived Tuesday at the site of an Israel Air Force helicopter crash in Romania involving six Israelis and one Romanian servicemen. The seven are still considered missing.
After extensive searches throughout the area over the course of the morning, the IDF said it had still not been able to locate any survivors.
The seven were participating in a joint military exercise Monday afternoon when their helicopter went down in the Brasov region - a remote, inaccessible area in the Carpathians some 150 kilometers north of the capital Bucharest.
Romania rescue services managed to land their own plane within meters of the crash site by around 8:30 A.M. on Tuesday, after their search efforts were delayed by hours due to poor weather and turbulent land conditions. The rescue crew then hiked up to the site of the crash, where they waited for the Israeli team of forensics experts and rabbis to join them.
Four Israeli pilots and two mechanics, as well as one Romanian serviceman, were on board the helicopter. Israeli sources said the aircraft was carrying double its normal crew of three because of the long flying distances involved in the exercise and the need to give training experience to as many crewmen as possible.
The IDF released on Monday night the names of the six missing Israeli crew members: Lt. Col (Res.) Avner Goldman (48), from Modi'in; Lt. Col. Daniel Shipenbauer (43), from Kidron; Maj. Yahel Keshet (33), from Hatzerim; Maj. Lior Shai (28), from Tel-Nof; Lt. Nir Lakrif (25), also from Tel- Nof; Sergeant 1st Class Oren Cohen (24), from Rehovot.

IAF chief: Crash not likely caused by technical problems

Israel Air Force Maj. Gen. Ido Nehushtan and his Romanian counterpart, Maj. Gen. Ion-Aurel Stanciu, have opened a joint investigation into the cause of the crash.
Israel Air Force chief of staff Nirmod Shefer on Tuesday warned against declaring any early conclusions regarding the cause. He did say, however, that there were no indications as of yet that the crash had been due to technical problems, as the helicopter had been in "excellent condition" prior to the flight.
It thus remains unclear whether the crash was caused by poor weather, a technical failure or human error.
According to Romania's Defense Ministry, the Israeli Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter was flying at low altitude and lost radio contact mid-afternoon Monday.
The IAF confirmed that it had lost contact with one of two helicopters taking part in Monday's drill, saying it appeared that the aircraft had crashed at around 4:00 P.M. in a mountainous area in bad weather, making it difficult for rescue teams to identify and reach the crash site.
The IAF dispatched a C-130 Hercules transport plane to Romania carrying medical and search-and-rescue personnel, as well as representatives of the IDF Military Rabbinate who specialize in identifying bodies.
Israel Defense Forces Chief Gabi Ashkenazi spoke with President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Monday night, and updated them with details on the crash.
Romanian and Israeli troops are taking part in Blue Sky 2010, 11-day joint aviation exercises where troops are trained to fly at low altitude in search, rescue and medical evacuation exercises. The exercises are scheduled to run through Thursday.
Two IAF helicopters took part in Monday's drill - which was also aimed at acquainting IAF crews with long-range missions in unfamiliar terrain - though the crew of the second aircraft did not notice that their comrades had left the formation.
In 2006 Israel and Romania signed a military exercise and cooperation deal; they extended the contract last year.
The American-made CH-53 is the IAF's largest helicopter and has been part of Israel's air fleet since the late 1960s. Most have been in service for more than 40 years and have undergone a series of comprehensive avionic overhauls, the last of which was meant to keep them flying through 2025.
In recent years the IAF has significantly expanded the scope of joint exercises with the air forces of its NATO allies. The drills also allow Israel's air crews to practice longer-range missions than those allowed by the country's small airspace, and to practice navigating unfamiliar, mountainous terrain.
The drills allow airmen to simulate aerial warfare with enemy forces, and many use advanced NATO equipment that lets military planners closely examine the results of each combat drill.
In the past Israel has conducted military exercises with a number of Eastern European countries.
The IAF canceled training flights for Tuesday, in the wake of Monday's crash.