Son of late Israeli astronaut dies in plane crash

[Behind the Aegis]

Source: Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) -- The son of an Israeli astronaut who died in the space shuttle Columbia disaster six years ago was killed Sunday when his F-16 warplane crashed on a routine training flight, the Israeli military said.

The military identified the dead pilot as Lt. Asaf Ramon, son of Ilan Ramon, Israel's first and only astronaut. Ilan Ramon was one of the seven crew members killed when the Columbia exploded as it re-entered the atmosphere after a mission in space.

A former fighter pilot who took part in Israel's bombing of an Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981, Ilan Ramon had been the payload specialist on the 2003 space flight. He is seen in Israel as a national hero, and Israeli radio and TV stations broke into their broadcasts Sunday to report the news of his son's death.

The military chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, arrived at the family's home along with the air force commander shortly after the news was made public.



Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_ISRAEL_ASTRONAUTS_SON?SITE=OHRAV&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[rockymountaindem]

1. That's a shame

RIP.

[henank]

2. A terrible tragedy

and an almost unbearable grief for the family. Baruch dayan emet.

[Feron]

3. That is very sad. nt

[Duer 157099]

4. It's sad, of course; but both men died doing exactly what they loved

and it's difficult to not sort of feel good about that, insofar as it's ever possible to feel "good" about someone dying.

I would hope the same for everyone I know, including myself.