Georgian president posthumously awards rescuers killed in Gudauri helicopter crash
President Salome Zourabichvili on Friday awarded the crew, rescuers and first responders who died in the border police helicopter crash near the winter resort town of Gudauri in Georgia’s north in July. Photo: interior ministry press office
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Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili on Friday posthumously awarded the crew, rescuers and first responders who died in the border police helicopter crash near the winter resort town of Gudauri in Georgia’s north in July with the state medal for civic dedication.
Involving family members of the eight victims in the incident, the ceremony at the Orbeliani presidential palace in Tbilisi also saw interior minister Vakhtang Gomelauri and health minister Zurab Azarashvili in attendance, as Zourabichvili told the families “I share your grief, [which] is not only yours, but also a grief of the country”.
This is called self-sacrifice, when you sacrifice your life to save others. This is probably the highest human honour - we should never forget this", the president noted in her words.
Interior minister Vakhtang Gomelauri thanked the president for awarding the "heroes", expressing gratitude to prime minister Irakli Garibashvili, Patriarch Ilia II, reverend Shio and the entire patriarchate for their support. Photo: interior ministry press office.
Expressing gratitude to the president for her move to “award the heroes”, the interior minister also thanked prime minister Irakli Garibashvili and religious authorities for their support.
The operation claimed the lives of eight people - among them four pilots, two rescuers and two first responders. We have lost our heroes [and] professionals”, Gomelauri said while telling the families of the victims that “we will always be by your side to ease this great pain, if possible”.
Minister of Internal Affairs, Vakhtang Gomelauri attended the awarding ceremony in Orbeliani Palace of those who died during the rescue operation near Gudauri. @MOHgovge @Zourabichvili_S https://t.co/WTUjR8lFzI pic.twitter.com/mvJwSHlPMm
— MIA of Georgia (@MIAofGeorgia) September 16, 2022
In its earlier move, the interior ministry had awarded the four pilots and two rescuers with its first-degree medal for special merit, while the country’s PM announced in August the families of the rescuers and first responders would receive ₾100,000 ($35,087) each.
The helicopter that was carrying the eight professionals lost control and crashed in a ravine on July 29 while on a rescue operation to assist paragliders who had ended up in the ravine earlier.
The causes of the crash are being investigated, with the interior ministry dismissing allegations of technical faults with the aircraft linked to lack of maintenance.