US chartered chopper hit by ground fire

ZAMBOANGA CITY – A civilian helicopter under contract with the US military encountered ground fire while on a supply mission over Tipo-Tipo, Basilan on Monday morning, according to a military official.

Reports said the civilian pilots and passengers were not injured.

However, the US Embassy said a passenger suffered minor injuries from flying debris.

“The helicopter landed in the airfield in Zamboanga without difficulty,” said US embassy deputy press attaché Karen Schinnerer.

“All personnel are safe and accounted for.” Brig. Gen. Juancho Sabban, Joint Task Force Thunder chief and Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command deputy chief based in Basilan, said the Bell helicopter belongs to Evergreen, a US-based aeronautics company contracted by Dyncorp, an American-based firm servicing US military forces in Mindanao.

“No one was reported hurt from among the passengers and pilots on board,” he said.

Sabban said the aircraft was not hit, based on the report that he received.

The civilian American aircraft came from Sulu and was passing over Basilan when it met hostile ground fire, he added.

Efforts to reach any official from the US Joint Special Operation Task Force-Philippines were unsuccessful.

Sabban said troops were immediately dispatched and briefly encountered Tuesday the armed group believed to be responsible for the attack.

“The armed groups scampered after the brief firefight,” he said. “It was not ascertained if the rebels suffered casualty.”

Tipo-Tipo is infested with guerrillas from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Abu Sayyaf, who have been firing on low flying aircraft, he added.

Evergreen helicopters have been used by the US military in re-supply and logistics missions, including the airlift of Filipino soldiers killed and wounded in combat.   – Roel Pareño, James Mananghaya, Pia Lee-Brago