The pilots were based in the eastern city of Dire Dawa and they executed
their plan during what the state-owned TV called a "routine flight
training." The announcement came in after days of massive aerial search
across northeastern Ethiopia.
The crew members were Captain Samuel Giday, Lt. Bililign Desalegn, and
flight technician Tsegaberhan Giday. It was not known whether the pilot
and technician are siblings.
The TV didn't specify where in Eritrea the pilot landed the helicopter,
but an Ethiopian Air Force source cited the Port of Assab as the most
likely place of landing the aircraft.