Ageing Philippine military chopper crashes, 7 injured

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 11, 2012) – Seven people were injured when an ageing Philippine Air Force helicopter crashed on Sunday while trying to land in the town of Kitcharao in the southern province of Agusan del Norte, officials said.

The UH-1H helicopter was carrying supply for troops battling communist rebels when it crashed at around 10.30 a.m. on a village called Bangayan.

“We still don’t know the cause of the crash and the damage to the chopper, but it was carrying seven people, including an officer and they are injured in the crash. The helicopter is carrying food supplies for the troops who are operating against the New People’s Army rebels,” Army Major Eugenio Osias, a spokesman for the 4^th Infantry Division, said.

Troops were battling rebels in the town since Saturday and had killed one NPA gunman and recovered an Ak-47 rifle in the area.

The town is a known stronghold of communist rebels and scene of deadly clashes late last year. The rebels are fighting for decades now for the establishment of a Maoist state in the country.

Peace talks between the Aquino government and the rebels had failed after Manilarejected demands by the communist negotiators to free all political detainees in the country.

Osias said the Philippine Air Force is investigating the crash. More soldiers were deployed to the crash site to secure the vintage helicopter.

The crash came days after the Philippines received 4 of eight SOKOL multi-purpose Combat Utility Helicopters. The brand new helicopters are part of the P2.8 billion acquisition contract between the Philippine military and the PZL-SWIDNIK SA of Polandas part of the country’s modernization program.

The Philippineshas one of the oldest fleet of military aircrafts in the Asiaand currently has only one C130 cargo plane. (Mindanao Examiner)