Four airmen of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) on training died when their helicopter crashed shortly after liftoff in Cauayan City in Isabela Thursday night, the Air Force said Friday.
In a statement, PAF expressed mourning for the air officers who perished, the identities of whom are still being verified and pending notification of their next of kin and had sent an investigation team to the area to determine the cause of the accident..
Those who died included two pilots, one other officer, and one of two aircrew from PAF’s Tactical Operations Group 2. The other aircrew who survived is undergoing treatment for injuries.
“The PAF and the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) as a whole share the grief and extend the sympathy to the bereaved families and colleagues of the airmen who perished in this air operations mishap,” it said.
AFP spokesperson Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said the airmen were “conducting proficiency training for night flying when the accident happened.”