No Need for Helicopter During Operations After Surmalu Explosion: Ministry of Emergency Situations

There was no need for a helicopter during operations following the explosion at the Surmalu shopping center. This was stated by Hovhannes Yemishyan, Deputy Head of the Rescue Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, in a conversation with reporters on August 22.

He clarified that the Ministry of Emergency Situations utilizes the helicopters of the Ministry of Defense free of charge if necessary. “Regarding technical specifications, one helicopter from the Ministry of Defense has already been re-equipped for the needs of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Work is underway on another one,” emphasized Yemishyan.

According to him, in all developed countries, several agencies share equipment for joint use. “This allows avoiding high costs, as it incurs substantial expenses for maintenance during operation,” he added.

It is worth reminding that the former advisor to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on aviation issues, Hakob Jagharyan, accused Pashinyan of “criminal inaction that caused serious consequences” the day after the explosion at the Surmalu shopping center. “In June 2019, I found the best helicopter for Armenia that could be useful for firefighting and rescue operations, and it was only $300,000 for one unit. Pashinyan said that the helicopters are old, Ukrainian, and their acquisition is impractical,” Jagharyan wrote at that time.