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Search mission successful: air force

The air force yesterday called the search and recovery of the bodies of two pilots who were killed in the crash of a twin-seat AT-3 jet trainer in a mountain in Taitung on June 11 a success.

"Our search-and-rescue mechanism has been proven in the operation to be sound. The action is the largest of its kind in the country," said air force Colonel Yu Yung-sung (游永松), deputy commander of the Taitung-based 737th fighter wing.

"The bodies of the two pilots were removed this morning from the crash site to a military hospital in Taitung," Yu said.

"The search for the two pilots mobilized the largest-ever operation involving ground forces and air support.

"A total of 1,027 special operations troops of the army were involved and 83 sorties of aircraft and helicopters were flown," he said.

Yu made the remarks yesterday at a regular press conference of the Ministry of National Defense (MND) as part of his briefing to the press on the search for the two AT-3 pilots which had lasted for 11 days.

As Yu highlighted the success of the search operation, MND spokesman Major General Huang Sui-sheng (黃穗生) said that there was still room for the air force to improve.

The first wreckage from the AT-3 jet trainer was not found until Saturday and the bodies were found on Sunday.

The plane broke into four pieces when it was found. The two pilots had been burned beyond recognition.

The crash search suggested that the pilots did not have time to eject from the cockpit and that they crashed with the aircraft into a mountain near the border between Taitung and Hualien counties.

The cause of the crash has yet to be found out, Colonel Yu said. "The air force will set up an investigation team comprised of specialists from different sectors such as the flight safety council of the Executive Yuan. Non-government specialists will be included as well," Yu said.
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