The bodies of the two missing pilots have been found by a search party inside the wreckage of their AT-3 trainer jet in a mountainous area of central Taiwan. The air force said that an Aviation Safety and Accident Investigation Committee has been set up to investigate the cause of the crash.
Air Force Command Headquarters officials said that crews onboard a CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter saw the fuselage of the twin-engine AT-3 trainer jet at 6:38am yesterday.
The wreckage was found in thick forest on a mountain slope about 2,743m above sea level.
The wreckage was near the 3,785m Mabolasi Mountain (馬博拉斯山), close to the border of Nantou and Hualien counties and about 3km northwest of the aircraft’s last known radar position when it lost contact with air traffic controllers at about midday on Tuesday.
Unable to land in the mountainous terrain, members of army’s special forces rappelled from the helicopter into an area near the crash site at 6:43am yesterday to carry out a ground search.
“They reported finding the bodies of the two pilots in the cockpit of the aircraft’s fuselage at 12:50pm yesterday,” military officials said.
The two pilots, Major Wang Ching-chu (王勁鈞), 32, and First Lieutenant Huang Chun-jung (黃俊榮), 23, were on a training session aboard the AT-3 aircraft when it disappeared off the radar screen at about midday on Tuesday.
They took off from the Air Force Academy in Kaohsiung City’s Gangshan District (岡山) at about 11:55am to perform instrument flying training, but lost contact at about 12:24pm.
The Ministry of National Defense issued a statement saying that Air Force Command Headquarters would be responsible for initiating an aviation safety and accident investigation committee which is to investigate the cause of the crash.
A prosecutor from the Hualien Prosecutors’ Office surveyed the crash site from the air on-board a military helicopter yesterday afternoon to assist in the committee’s investigation.
Defense ministry officials said a military helicopter was dispatched yesterday afternoon to retrieve the pilots’ bodies, but the mission could not be carried out due to a change in weather conditions. They are to make another attempt today, officals said.
The defense ministry has mobilized 1,100 military personnel since Tuesday and 79 aircraft sorties, using CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter, S-70C Seagull helicopter, EC-225 Super Puma helicopter, RF-5E reconnaissance jet and E-2K early warning aircraft for the mission.
Observers aboard search operation aircraft said the fuselage parts were scattered in places, and there seemed to be scorch marks on rocky outcrops, indicating the AT-3 had crashed on the mountain slope.
Air force officials confirmed the two pilots had not ejected from their seats, and were most likely killed on impact during the crash.
“The pilots’ bodies are being guarded for now by the members of the army’s special forces who arrived first on the scene,” Air Force Academy deputy head Huang Chih-wei (黃志偉) said yesterday. “Another troop unit will reach the crash site tomorrow to conduct follow-up work and gather evidence for the investigation.”
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS