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.
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY – An Air Force Sokol helicopter on a reconnaissance mission crashed Tuesday afternoon north of the city, and mechanical trouble was blamed, initial reports from the military and police stated.
The helicopter developed a mechanical trouble and had to make an emergency landing in Sitio Sabang, Barangay Macarascas, at around 2 p.m. on Tuesday, said Supt. Imelda Tolentino, the public information officer of the Mindoro-Marinduque-Romblon-
The Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command spokesperson, Capt. Cheryl Tindog, said that all the passengers of the chopper, led by Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor, MIMAROPA regional director, were airlifted by an air ambulance. No casualties were reported but two of its 11 passengers sustained minor injuries.
Tolentino, said the chopper was on a reconnaissance mission in preparation for the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Chief of Justices Conference in the city starting on Friday. SFM