The son of Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, who died in the Columbia space accident, was laid to rest after his F-16A plane crashed in southern Hebron Hills.
Cpt. Assaf Ramon, who was killed yesterday in an F-16A plane crash during a routine exercise in the southern Hebron hills, was laid to rest on Monday (Sept. 14) in the Nahalal cemetery, next to his father, the late Israeli astronaut Col. Ilan Ramon. The military, state officials, family and friends all came to pay their last respects to the outstanding graduate of the last IDF pilots training course who was killed in circumstances that are not yet clear. Among the hundreds of attendees at the funeral were U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell and the U.S. ambassador to Israel Richard Jones.
Assaf’s younger brothers Tal and Yiftah said the Kaddish (Jewish prayer for the death) on his fresh tomb, and the Chief Military Rabbi Brig. Gen Avihai Ronsky recited some psalms.
“The State of Israel is lowering its flag, as a whole nation mourns the death of our fallen son,” said President Shimon Peres in his eulogy. “I know that the words to heal this wound have not yet been created, there aren’t proper words of consolation when an entire nation is aching and crying – there is nothing that can replace the heartbeats when one hears the steps of a son returning home from his military base at the end of the week, nor is there anything that can fill the empty bed, the closet, the military shirt with the wings, the laughter, hugs and kisses, the ‘Hello’ and ‘Goodbye’.”
Lt. A., Assaf’s best friend said during the funeral: “Only yesterday we flew together, you didn’t come back from the thing you loved doing the most. After I returned from a long night spent at your house I came back to my room and couldn’t even go in.” Turning to the Ramon family he said: “I will always be by your side.”
A team headed by an officer of the rank of Colonel was appointed to investigate the circumstances of the crash; all options are being reviewed including technical failure and human failure. In addition, all flight trainings with F-16A aircraft have been suspended until further notice. Yesterday, Air Force Air Directorate Brig. Gen. Yohanan Locker said: “We continue focusing on the missions the Israeli people sends us on. We embrace the Ramon family, stand beside them, we all feel their pain, we will do everything we can to help them.”
Cpt. Ramon attended a training flight on Sunday (Sept. 13) as part of an advanced pilots training course (post-completion phase of pilots training course). It was reported that the plane was seen plunging toward the ground. Large IDF forces then performed scans in the area and eventually located the plane debris and the body of the late pilot.
Only two months ago Ramon finished the pilots training course with distinction as a fighter pilot assigned to an F-16 squadron. During the course in March 2009, Ramon encountered a serious problem during a flight in a Skyhawk plane with an instructor. During the flight, the aircraft engine stopped working; however Ramon successfully landed the plane winning praise for his performance during the event.
The IDF and the political leadership issued their condolence messages yesterday to Rona Ramon, widow of Col. Ilan Ramon and mother of Cpt. Assaf Ramon. President Shimon Peres, who gave Ramon a citation for his outstanding performance during the pilots training course, said: “What has befallen us today is more than a tragedy, it is a fracture, I knew both of them: Assaf was a fighter, the son of a fighter; a dreamer among dreamers. They are a symbol of everything that is good in the Jewish State, they were the most exceptional of the exceptional.”
The Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi said: “I received the bitter announcement of Captain Assaf Ramon’s passing with teary eyes, as did the commanders and soldiers of the IDF, and the whole of Israel. Only three months ago I stood with excitement, holding Rona on the ceremony grounds, while Assaf received his pilot’s wings from Israel’s president, Mr. Shimon Peres, as he excelled in the course. Captain Ramon walked the path of ethics, morals and drive for excellence that his father paved for him. The announcement couldn’t be harder to receive. Our hearts are with Rona, this wonderful woman, and the entire family, embracing them with warmth and love. This is, unfortunately, a part of the price we pay for living in this beloved country.”
