Army chopper crashes in Ciamis<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A military helicopter carrying five members of
\nthe presidential security guard and five Air Force Squadron 17
\npersonnel crashed into a paddy field on Saturday morning in the
\nKertasari subdistrict in Ciamis, West Java.<\/p>\n
There were no fatalities in the crash.<\/p>\n
All people on board the Super Puma helicopter were rushed to
\nCiamis General Hospital, before being transferred to Gatot
\nSubroto Army Hospital in Jakarta later in the day, according to
\nAir Force spokesman First Marshall Bahrum Rasir.<\/p>\n
The officers on board were conducting a standard landing
\nprocedure rehearsal and area survey to prepare for President B.J.
\nHabibie's visit to Ciamis, scheduled for May 1, Bahrum told The
\nJakarta Post by telephone.<\/p>\n
Details of the president's planned visit were not available.<\/p>\n
The helicopter had flown from Husein Sastranegara airport in
\nBandung, the capital of West Java, to Ciamis, a small town about
\n121 kilometers away.<\/p>\n
\"About 300 meters before the landing area in Galuh football
\nstadium in Ciamis at about 9:30 a.m., the helicopter lost its
\nbalance and was forced to make an emergency landing,\" Bahrum
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He identified the five presidential security guards as Brig.
\nGen. Aritonang, Brig. Gen. Soeryanto, Lt. Col. Indra, Maj. Supit
\nand Budiono.<\/p>\n
\"While members of the Air Force 17 Squadron are pilot Maj.
\nWieko and copilot Capt. Hikmat, First Sgt. Agus, Chief Sgt.
\nSuwandi and Chief Sgt. Maryoto,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Pilot Wieko and copilot Hikmat reportedly suffered back
\ninjuries while Maryoto was badly injured in his jaw, Bahrum said.<\/p>\n
\"But the rest only experienced shock and minor injuries.\"<\/p>\n
The officers were part of a group surveying the area for the
\npresidential visit. Their flight route included Halim
\nPerdanakusuma airbase in Jakarta, Husein Sastranegara airport in
\nBandung, Ciamis, Tasikmalaya and back to Husein Sastranegara and
\nHalim Perdanakusuma, Bahrum said.<\/p>\n
\"Eyewitnesses said the helicopter crashed from an altitude of
\nabout 20 meters after losing its balance,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He quoted eyewitnesses as saying the helicopter had been
\nflying low for a few minutes in order to make the emergency
\nlanding before it hit the ground.<\/p>\n
The helicopter's tail broke off and a section crashed into the
\nmud, he said.<\/p>\n
\"The helicopter has yet to be lifted from the paddy field as a
\nspecial team is investigating the cause of the accident,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"We have yet to find out whether it was caused by mechanical
\nor engine trouble. We don't want to speculate until further
\nresults come out,\" he said, adding the crash sight was
\ntemporarily closed to the public.<\/p>\n
The paddy field is apparently fairly central in Ciamis, and is
\nsurrounded by the two main avenues of Jl. Raya Koperasi and Jl.
\nRaden Adipati Sutadinata. It is also close to the bus terminal
\nand village market.<\/p>\n
On June 4, 1998, 12 officers were killed when a helicopter
\ncrashed near Liaruca village in East Timor. Casualties included
\nthe Udayana Regional Military Commander, Maj. Gen. Yudomo
\nSastrosuhardjo, and Col. Salamat Sidabutar, the chief of the Wira
\nDharma Military Command in the province. (edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/army-chopper-crashes-in-ciamis-1447893297",
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