Chopper that flew to fetch patient goes missing in Palawan

INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Palawan confirmed that a chopper, that was being used as an air ambulance, went missing around noon Wednesday, March 1, off Balabac Island.

The PCG, in a statement, said the chopper, owned by Philippine Adventist Medical Aviation Services, was last contacted at around 12:10 p.m. Its last location was 35 nautical miles off Balabac Island.

The chopper left Brooke’s Point town at 9 a.m. to fetch a patient in Mangsee Island in Balabac town.

The chopper was being piloted by Captain Daniel Lui. Aboard was Janelle Alder, who was described by PCG as an American national.

“Most probably, the chopper has crashed,” Coast Guard District – Palawan Commander Captain Dennis Labay said in an interview.

Coast Guard units in Brooke’s Point and Balabac were immediately deployed to conduct search and rescue operations while other vessels in Puerto Princesa City are on stand by to assist in the search and rescue operations. Geraldford Ticke, Inquirer Luzon

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