6 Killed After Military Chopper Deployed For Typhoon Relief Ops Crashes In Philippines

In a tragic incident, six people were killed after a military helicopter, conducting disaster relief operations in the wake of Typhoon Kalmaegi, crashed on Tuesday.

According to the Armed Forces of the Philippines’

Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom), the Super Huey chopper, part of a flight of four helicopters that took off from Davao City for Butuan to conduct a Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (RDANA) mission, crashed near Loreto town in southern Agusan del Sur province, ABSCBN news reported.

According to the military, a search and recovery team found the wreckage of the Huey helicopter on the island of Mindanao, along with six bodies believed to be those of the pilot and crew.

“Communication with the helicopter was lost, which immediately prompted the launch of a Search and Rescue (SAR) operation,” the Air Force said.

PAF also said a thorough investigation is being conducted to determine the circumstances and cause of the accident.

All other Huey choppers have been grounded following the incident.

Meanwhile, authorities said the death toll from Typhoon Kalmaegi continued to increase, reaching 40 across the central Philippines by late Tuesday.

Kalmaegi was last spotted over the coastal waters of Jordan town in the central province of Guimaras with sustained winds of 130 kph (81 mph) and gusts of up to 180 kph (112 mph).

Entire towns on the island of Cebu have been inundated, while cars, trucks and even massive shipping containers could be seen swept along by muddy floodwaters in videos verified by AFP.

In Cebu alone, 21 people were now confirmed dead, civil defence deputy administrator Rafaelito Alejandro told AFP by phone, giving the storm’s current death toll as 26.

“Based on information that we have, most of them died from drowning,” he said.

In the 24 hours before Kalmaegi’s landfall, the area around provincial capital Cebu City was deluged with 183 millimetres (seven inches) of rain, well over its 131-millimetre monthly average, state weather specialist Charmagne Varilla told AFP.

It was forecast to blow away into the South China Sea late Tuesday or early Wednesday after hitting the western province of Palawan.

(With inputs from agencies)