This afternoon, Lieutenant Assaf Ramon, an Israel Air Force (IAF) pilot was killed in an F-16A plane crash near the Israeli community of P'nei Chever in the southern Hebron hills.

The aircraft crashed during a routine flight as part of the advanced pilot training course.

Search and rescue forces were notified and called to the scene where they began large-scale searches following which, the remains of the plane were found.

The Commander of the IAF, Major General Ido Nehushtan appointed an investigative committee to examine the causes of the plane crash. Until further notice, all F-16 training flights have been canceled.

Major General Ido Nehushtan and Head of the Personnel Branch, Major General Avi Zamir, visited the home of Rona Ramon and informed her of the tragic event.

According to military sources:
 
Lieutenant Assaf Ramon is the son of late Colonel Ilan Ramon, who was killed in the Columbia spacecraft crash on February 1, 2003, as the first Israeli astronaut.

Lieutenant Ramon excelled in the IAF Pilot training course last month, received a presidential honor and was given his pilot's wings by President Shimon Peres.