Mohamed Keraidy

Wing commander Mohamed Keraidy was born on 10 March 1942 and graduated from the Egyptian air force academy in May 1963. He started his service flying the tactical bombers Il-28 in bombers brigades. He participated in Yemen war and War of Attrition between Egypt and Israel. He was transferred to the heavy bombers Tu-16 as a captain at the end of 1968 then to the Tu-16K11-16 in 1971 (One of the firts captains to fly this type after entering service). He participated in the 1973 Yom Kippur war and fired 7 AS-5 missiles out of 25 his squadron fired. He carries 3 medals: Medal of military duty from president Gamal Abdul Nasser in the Yemen war, and two medals of military bravery from the first category one in 1973 war and one upon his mortayer in 1975. On 1 September 1975 his Tu-16K11-16 crashed over the Menya area. It has left engine fire and explosion in the bullets of the second navigator gun. Pilot W/C Mohamed Keraidy refused to bale out at the begining trying to rescue his crew specially after the intercom was disabled because of fire and kicking the floor with his feet trying to tell the first navigator to bale out. His copilot Fl.Lt. Adel El Fiky baled out safely and Keraidy did bale out several minutes after that after puting the bomber in a dive position into the river Nile in order to reduce the explosion. Keraidy was taken by a helicopter to the Maadi military hospital in Cairo and died in the ICU several hours later.

Egyptian Tu-16K11-16 captains with the Air marshal Hosni Mubarak (the Egyptian president) who was the first Brigade commannder of the Egyptian Tu-16 before 1973 war. Mohamed Keraidy is the 3rd from the left side.