PAF chopper crashes in Bohol; 1 dead

Local responders rescued the personnel of the Philippine Air Force after their helicopter crashed in the seawaters off Getafe in Bohol on Tuesday morning, April 27, 2021. Contributed Photo

TAGBILARAN CITY –– A Philippine Air Force pilot was killed while three others were hurt when their helicopter crashed on Tuesday morning in the waters off Jandayan Island in Getafe town of Bohol province.

The fatality was identified as Captain Aurelios Olano.

The three other PAF personnel were brought to President Carlos P. Garcia Memorial Hospital in Talibon town, Bohol, said Anthony Damalerio, provincial disaster risk reduction and management officer.

He said the three were in stable condition and would be transferred to a medical facility in Cebu in the afternoon.

Damalerio said that based on reports he gathered, the MD 520 helicopter of the PAF crashed in the seawaters off Jandayan Island in Getafe, around 9:45 a. m.

The Air Force has yet to release a statement.

Damalerio said that based on the accounts of the fishermen who saw the incident, the helicopter nosedived into the sea and then submerged.

He said fishermen saw three people jumping out of the helicopter shortly before it crashed. The fishermen immediately moved to rescue the PAF personnel.

LZB