10 hurt in U.S. chopper crash
10 hurt in U.S. chopper crash
The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh
A U.S. Seahawk helicopter crashed in a paddy field here on Monday, causing a slight hindrance to efforts to help stranded tsunami victims across Aceh province.
United States military and Indonesian officials said all 10 sailors on board the chopper were injured in the accident that occurred at around 7:40 a.m. near the Banda Aceh airport.
The ill-fated helicopter was trying to land near the main tsunami relief airport.
"There was no fire ball but a little smoke. It landed on its side," Capt. Joe Plenzler, a U.S. military spokesman, was quoted by AP as saying.
He added that the helicopter's propeller was twisted by the impact of the crash.
U.S. authorities said there was no indication that the helicopter had been shot at.
Maj. Gen. Bambang Darmono, who is tasked with overseeing the Indonesian relief operation in Aceh, said the helicopter took off from the tarmac at about 7.30 a.m., but crashed onto a rice field, some 50 meters from the airport.
The crash should not hamper aid supplies from the airport to refugees, he said. The Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunami killed more than 104,000 people in Aceh and North Sumatra and left up to 400,000 homeless.
The U.S. military suspended helicopter flights for about two hours after the crash.
The crash was the latest in a series of glitches blighting delivery of relief to the hungry and sick along Aceh's western coast.
Last Tuesday Banda Aceh's airport was closed for most of the day when a Boeing 737 cargo plane skidded off the runway after swerving to avoid a buffalo.
Despite millions of dollars of aid pouring into Aceh, logistical problems including bottlenecks at airports have caused serious delays in distributing supplies.
An eye witness, named only as Wardi, said he was on his way to his rice field when Monday's accident occurred. The helicopter crashed about 20 meters away from him.
He said he saw the helicopter hovering low and making a lot of noise and it seemed as if it could not ascend any further.
"I said to myself why can't this helicopter go up. But suddenly, it fell down onto the field," Wardi said.
He said that after the crash he saw three people walk out of the craft and all looked fine. Later, he saw other passengers being taken out of the chopper using stretchers.
Indonesian Military chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto expressed regret over the crash. "This kind of accident can occur anywhere and anytime. It's not because it's in Aceh. So, I hope that this accident will not reduce U.S. commitment in helping with our humanitarian operation here."
Lt. Cmdr. John M. Daniels of the U.S. military blamed the crash on a "possible mechanical failure" and said it was being investigated.
He said one person had fractured an ankle and another suffered a dislocated hip. The other eight sailors on board suffered "no significant injuries", he told AP.
The injured Navy personnel were flown to the USS Bonhomme Richard, which is supporting a Marines strike force that is also helping in the relief effort, said Cmdr. Bill Leininger, the senior doctor aboard the ship. The USS Bonhomme Richard has better X-ray facilities than the battle group's USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, he said.
"We just want to be absolutely safe with our sailors," Leininger said.
The U.S. military said in a press release that the helicopter had experienced an "in-flight emergency" and then "executed a hard landing".
Photos from the scene showed the Seahawk lying on its side in the paddy, its main rotor crumpled.
Authorities quickly cordoned off the area around the crash site and U.S. officials began searching the field, apparently looking for debris.