Commander Ion Staiculescu, commanding the Operational Group 90 within the Otopeni Air Base 90, has died in his hotel room in France, the Romanian Ministry of Defence announced. He was there to attend the events to commemorate the Normandy landings.
The officer was attending the multinational exercise organized by the French Army during May 31-June 4 to mark 74 years since the Normandy landings. Romania has joined the exercise with a detachment consisting of 33 military paratroopers and a C 27J Spartan aircraft, according to MapN.
Commander Staiculescu, aged 55, was found unconscious by his colleagues, in his hotel room in Cherbourg on Saturday. French doctors resuscitated him, but unfortunately he was declared dead around 10 a.m., local hour.
French legal authorities are investigating the case. After procedures conclude, the body will be repatriated.
Commander Ion Staiculescu was a first class military pilot, boasting an experience of over 7,500 flight hours on various types of aircraft: 3,500 hours on C 27J Spartan. He worked in the Ministry of Defence since 1986. He was married and had one child.
Romanian Defence minister Mihai Fifor sent a condolences message, stating that the Army has lost one of its most gifted pilots. The minister reminded that the aircraft flying him and other military officials from Poland last week was been piloted by Ion Stanciulescu.
In his turn, the head of the Emergency Situation Department Raed Arafat has also sent his condolences for the death of the pilot, saying they had flown together in numerous rescue missions.