Air Force chopper with 13 police, military men crashes in Palawan

An Air Force Sokol helicopter carrying 13 police and military personnel–including ranking officials–crash landed in a rice field in Sitio Sabang, Barangay Cabayugan, Puerto Princesa, Palawan on Tuesday afternoon. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO.

An Air Force Sokol helicopter carrying 13 police and military personnel, including ranking officials, crash landed on a rice field in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, on Tuesday afternoon.

Initial reports from the police said among those on board the helicopter were Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor, regional director of the Mimaropa regional police, and other top police officials, including Philippine National Police’s operations head Chief Supt. Camilo Cascolan and Chief Supt. Nestor Bergonia, chief of the PNP’s National Operations Center.

All passengers were reported safe but at least two of them suffered minor injuries.

Police said around 2 p.m., the Air Force Sokol 926 carrying Mayor and his party left to conduct an aerial inspection for the Asean Chief Justices meeting to be held in Palawan.

The aircraft experienced a mechanical problem and crash landed on a rice field in Sitio Sabang in Barangay (village) Cabayugan.

The Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines immediately sent an air ambulance and another aircraft to the area./rga