3 Air Force men killed in chopper crash

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Three Philippine Air Force personnel were killed while another was injured when their Huey helicopter crashed into a mountain in Sulu on Saturday while on a supply mission, a military spokesperson said.

Lieutenant Colonel Randolph Cabangbang of the Western Mindanao Command said the Vietnam War-vintage HU-1 chopper took off from Camp Bautista in Jolo at 6:56 a.m. Saturday on its way to Camp Balabad in Patikul town when it crashed at 8:20 a.m.

“The aircraft hit the ground hard and rolled down a hill. Initial information gathered revealed that the aircraft was a total wreck and there were three air crew fatalities and one injured,” Cabangbang said in a text message.

He said the bodies of the airmen had been retrieved while the lone survivor was brought to the Armed Forces of the Philippines Trauma Center, also in Jolo.

Air Force spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Miguel Ernesto Okol identified the fatalities as

Captain Omar J. Antepuesto, the pilot, Staff Sergeant Maximo P. Orquino and Airman First Class Rannie R. Solis.

The copilot was identified as First Lieutenant Junius Zulueta. He was taken to a hospital. With  AFP, AP reports