Navy helicopter crashes near Zamboanga

STA.CRUZ ISLAND, Zamboanga City, Philippines – Military divers began their search for two pilots that went missing after a Navy helicopter crashed here yesterday.

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 some two nautical miles off the island before noon.

Three of the crew members managed to bail out while two of the pilots went down with the German-made Bolkow helicopter.

Pama identified the missing pilots as Lt. Tristan Joseph Corpuz and co-pilot Lt. Gerald Tamayo.

Pama said the helicopter developed engine trouble in midair and crashed.

“One of our officers on the ground saw the helicopter with smoke and then it crashed,” Pama said.

The cause of the crash was not clear but Navy divers immediately went to the area to rescue the three crewmen.

“The two pilots remained missing which is now the object of our search and rescue operations,” Pama said.

“Hopefully, they are still alive and were able to get out the helicopter,” he said.

Pama said they have called for assistance from their counterparts from the US Navy in the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P) to help in the search for the two missing pilots.

The Philippine Coast Guard also deployed rescue personnel to help locate the missing pilots.

Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Commander Arman Balilo said they pulled out their units participating in the joint military exercises with US forces for the search and rescue mission.

“Upon learning that a helicopter crashed, Coast Guard commander Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo immediately placed the Joint Special Operations Task Force Exercise with US forces on hold to assist in the search and rescue. We would support the Navy in whatever endeavor,” Balilo said. – With Jaime Laude, Evelyn Macairan, AP