The Horror Flight

The hope for a better new year was cut off instantly for Ramon’s family. On the thirteen of September the history repeated it -self. Six years after Ilan Ramon was killed, in the explosion of Columbia’s space shuttle, his older son, Assaf Ramon, was killed in an aerial accident during routine training in the I.A.F.

Assaf Ramon was killed in tragic circumstances. Only three month after he graduated with honors the Pilot Course, he was killed when his plane crashed near Mount Hebron. I don't know exactly what happened to Assaf on the airplane in his last moments, but the only thing I know is that the plane fell apart into many pieces, like Assaf's body.

When his father, the first Israeli astronaut, was killed, Assaf always said he wished to follow his father's path- to become the second Israeli astronaut. But neither of us thought that fate would choose the path of death. Thousands of people came to the cemetery of Nahalal, where Assaf was buried near his father, to pay their respects for the courageous pilot.

Assaf was one of a kind, the salt of the earth, loyal solder and beloved son of Israel. It is unperceived that we are talking about Assaf Ramon in the past tense. The least we can do is send our warmest consolations to the Ramon’s family, and keep the memory of these two brave souls alive.

May Ilan and Assaf Ramon rest in peace.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/133408

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Daphna