3 killed, 1 hurt in Air Force chopper crash

A military helicopter pilot and two of his crew members were killed while another was injured in a crash landing of an Air Force chopper on Thursday afternoon in Rizal.

Security forces composed of combined police and military personnel were conducting air to ground and disaster rescue operation training when the UH-1D helicopter crashed in Camp Capinpin, said First Lieutenant Xy-Zon Meneses, spokesman of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division.

“’Yung training ay paghahanda ng 2ID at Solcom (Southern Luzon Command) pati PNP (Philippine National Police) sa any eventualities kaso nangyari ang hindi inaasahan,” Meneses said.

(The training was for the Solcom and PNP to be ready for any eventuality in military/police operations and disaster rescue operations but the unexpected happened.)

Meneses said the UH-1D helicopter crash landed in Sitio Hilltop, Barangay Sampaloc, Tanay, Rizal.

“Tapos na ‘yung practical exercise nila for the day kaso nag-trouble ‘yung isang chopper ng pa-landing (Their practical exercise for the day was finished but the chopper got into trouble as it landed),” he said.

Identities of the casualties have not been disclosed pending the notification of their families.

Meneses said the injured soldier was brought to the Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center. JE/rga