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 first 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 1st September 1975 his Tu-16K11-16 crashed over the Menya area. It had a left engine fire and the bullets of the second navigator's gun were exploding.

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 co-pilot Fl. Lt. Adel El Fiky baled out safely and Keraidy did finally bale out several minutes after that after putting 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.

photo: Ahmed Keraidy
Wing Commander Mohamed Keraidy

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.

Some extracts used in this Biography were provided thanks to the generosity of Wing Commander Mohamed Keraidy's son Ahmed Keraidy

1st September 1975

Egyptian Air Force

Tupolev Tu-16 K11-16
Badger

4403

36 Squadron
BB 403

Left engine fire causing munitions explosion in second navigator's gun. Crashed over El Menya area over the river Nile. Wg. Cmr. Keraidy deliberately flew the aircraft into the river Nile once he had ensured that he had given his crew the best chances of survival and that he had directed the aircraft away from civilian areas


Wing Commander Mohamed Abdel Wahab Keraidy pilot ejected died later in hospital	Fl. Lt. Adel El Fikky Co-pilot ( Ejected safely)	Major Samir Abdel Fattah 1st Navigator (Died while trying to eject)	Captain Salah El Menshawy 2nd Navigator ( Died instantly from the explosion of the oxygen thermos behind him in the bomber)	Sergeant Kotb ____ ??? Gunner (Didn't bale out)	Radio Man___??? ( Didn't bale out)
This crash was the longest emergency case in the Egyptian Air Force. Wing Commander Keraidy was the first Egyptian officer to be given the Golden Military Bravery Medal, first Category without dying in a battle

Egyptian Air Force	36 Squadron	Tu-16K11-16	4403	1st September 1975
Wing Commander Mohamed Abdel Wahab Keraidy