Saudi Prince killed in chopper crash
A Saudi prince has been killed in a helicopter crash near its southern border with Yemen. Prince Mansour bin Muqrin, deputy governor of Asir, was on board with several other officials when the mishap occurred. The cause of the crash is not yet known. This comes a day after Saudi Arabia reported intercepting a ballistic missile fired from Yemen near the Riyadh airport.
Who was Prince Mansour bin Muqrin?
Mansour bin Muqrin is the son of Muqrin bin Abdul Aziz, the Saudi crown prince during January-April 2015. He was then pushed aside by his half-brother King Salman a few months after he took the throne. In 2015, Mansour bin Muqrin was appointed Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosque. He's married to the daughter of Prince Saud bin Fahd Al Saud.
Meanwhile, several princes targeted for alleged corruption
Incidentally, this weekend saw an anti-corruption drive targeting several people including 11 princes and four ministers. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who leads the anti-corruption body, is believed to be attempting to reinforce his power. Meanwhile, status of the chopper's other occupants remains unknown.
