The initial assessment of police is that the crash was caused by ‘bad weather’ but this is subject to further investigation. At least 4 people were killed when a Philippine Air Force (PAF) helicopter crashed in Lantawan town in Basilan on Wednesday, September 16.
Bangsamoro police chief Brigadier General Manuel Abu confirmed in a text message to Rappler that the crash involved a PAF helicopter.
Abu said in an earlier phone interview with that police counted 4 cadavers at the crash site.
A separate police report from Maluso town police obtained by Rappler said that 3 of the fatalities were identified as a female pilot, a male co-pilot, and a male flight crew member. Their identities have yet to be determined as of posting time.
The crash happened at around 2:30 PM. Abu said the “initial assessment” of the police is that the crash might have been due to “bad weather” but this was still subject to further investigation.
“The rains are strong now, but we are not concluding that it was because of the weather that it crashed,” Abu said.
A Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) team and other investigators were at the crash site, he added.
This is the second PAF helicopter crash in 2020, following the Isabela chopper crash in July that left 4 soldiers dead and injured another.
