Isang S-70i Black Hawk Utility Helicopter ng 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing ng Philippine Air Force (PAF) ang naaksidente sa Capas, Tarlac habang nagsasagawa ng night flight training nitong Miyerkules.
Sa inilabas na pahayag ng PAF nitong Huwebes, sinabing hindi dumating sa inaasahang oras nang paglapag sa Clark Air Base sa Pampanga ang helicopter kaya ipinahanap na ito.
Isinagawa umano ang search, retrieval, at recovery operations.
“So far, no survivors have been found,” ayon sa PAF.
Sa hiwalay na pahayag ng Department of National Defense (DND), sinabing tatlong piloto at tatlong airmen ang nasawi sa insidente.
“We at the DND extend our deepest sympathies to the families of the three pilots and three airmen of an S-70i Blackhawk helicopter of the Philippine Air Force who perished when their plane crashed in the vicinity of Crow Valley near Clark Air Base, Pampanga, after undertaking a night proficiency flight on Wednesday evening, June 23,” ayon kay DND director Arsenio Andolong.
“In the meantime, the entire Blackhawk fleet are grounded while the incident is being investigated,” dagdag ng opisyal.
Hindi muna inihayag ng PAF ang mga pangalan ng mga tauhan na sakay ng helicopter.
“We grieve for the loss. The PAF will conduct a thorough inquiry to determine the circumstances of this unfortunate incident,” ayon sa PAF.
Sinabi sa pahayag na bahagi sa pagsasanay ng mga piloto ang paliparin ang Black Hawks sa gabi.
“Night flight proficiency trainings are part of the capabilities of the pilots and crew, in this case the Blackhawk S70i, prior their full deployment to assist our frontline units in their missions,” saad nito sa pahayag.
"Although with inherent risks, this competency is vital and necessary for the transport and logistics requirements of Unified Commands,” paliwa nila.
Nobyembre lang nitong nakaraang taon nang dumating sa bansa ang unang batch ng Sikorsky S70-i Blackhawk helicopters.
Nasundan pa ito ng karagdagang limang S-70i Black Hawk utility helicopters nito lang buwan ng Hunyo.--FRJ, GMA News
