A Saudi military reconnaissance helicopter crashed in the southern border province of Najran, killing both crew members on board. In an official statement issued on Sunday (October 18, 2026), the Saudi-led Coalition confirmed that the aircraft suffered a fatal crash due to technical failure. Coalition authorities firmly rejected claims by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi insurgents that they had shot down the aircraft.
Coalition spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Malki stated that the aircraft involved was an AH-6i light attack and reconnaissance helicopter operating under the jurisdiction of the Saudi Ministry of National Guard. The helicopter encountered mechanical failure while conducting a routine patrol mission in the border area, leading to the crash.
