August 18, 2010
A Philippine Navy Bolkow helicopter, BO-105C (PNH411) crashed in the sea between Great Santa Cruz and Little Santa Cruz islands near Zamboanga City around 11 a.m. Tuesday.Rear Admiral Alexander Pama, chief of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao, said the helicopter was on a joint training exercise with US forces when it crashed after developing engine trouble some two nautical miles off Santa Cruz island.
Pama identified the fallen pilots as Lt. Tristan Joseph Corpuz and co-pilot Lt. Gerald Tamayo.
The helicopter was on a routine flight mission and was being used to document Inshore Combat Tactics Training when it crashed.Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo said the helicopter had 2 pilots, a crew member and 2 passengers on board.
The 2 passengers and crew member identified as PO2 Rodolfo Pataueg, PO2 Noel Ridad and PO2 Abdon Martinez were able to jump off the chopper before it hit the water and has been rescued and declared safe at Camp Navarro Gen Hospital.
The 38 year old helicopter was manufactured by Bölkow of Stuttgart, Germany. The company is now called Eurocopter after it was bought in 1991. The Bo 105C helicopter was developed in 1972 and the Philippine Ministry of Defence bought 14 models in 1974, including 10 105SC under PAF , for search and Rescue, recon & liaison duties. They were assembled under license by Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation.
are they still missing or they've been declared dead from the mission??? Pama already made an official statement???
ReplyDeleteWrickage retrieved but still no pilots
ReplyDeleteRear Admiral Alexander Pama, chief of Naval Forces Western Mindanao, said the bodies of the two Navy pilots have not been located, giving hopes that they could still be alive.
“The (bodies of the) two pilots were not in the helicopter. We assume they were able to get out of the aircraft,” Pama said, adding that the search and rescue operation for Lieutenants Tristan Joseph Corpuz and Gerald Tamayo was ongoing.
Pama said Navy divers found the aircraft resting on the seabed some 50 to 60 feet near Sta. Cruz Island, and re-floated it after more than 24 hours.
“The divers saw basically the (helicopter) was intact and its doors were open with the pilots’ seatbelt unbuckled which is indicative (that the pilots were able to get out). They might have drifted to nearby islands,” he said.
Pilots found dead
ReplyDeleteRear Admiral Alexander Pama, outgoing commander of Naval Forces Western Mindanao, said the bodies were found some distance from the chopper's wreck Thursday morning.
He said search teams found the remains of Lt. Tristan Joseph Corpus two miles from the island where the helicopter crashed, at about 6:55 a.m.
The teams found the remains of Lt. Gerald Tamayo at 7:20 a.m., near the site of the crash.
They will be brought to Manila this afternoon to be accorded with honors.