The parents of Tsai Yi-min (蔡邑敏), a nurse who was aboard a UH-60 Black Hawk rescue helicopter when it disappeared on Feb. 5, on Saturday received their daughter’s posthumous Special Contribution Award from the Cih Yue Charity Foundation at its seventh annual Nightingale Awards Ceremony in Taipei.
The National Airborne Services Corps (NASC) Third Squadron Third Brigade’s UH-60M Black Hawk rescue helicopter with tail number NA-706 went missing at 11:48pm while evacuating a patient from Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼).
The helicopter wreckage was retrieved on April 12, along with two bodies.
DNA tests confirmed that the bodies belonged to Tsai Yi-min and the family member who had accompanied the patient on the flight.
The foundation gave the award to Tsai Yi-min in recognition of her bravery and dedication.
The award was presented by Premier William Lai (賴清德).
Hearing NASC Third Squadron Third Brigade Commander Chu Shih-chuan (祝世全) announce that the mission was complete at the ceremony held at the mouth of Taitung County’s Taiping River (太平溪) to call back the souls of those who had been lost in the crash was the most heartbreaking moment of his life, Tsai Yi-min’s father, Tsai Ching-hsien (蔡清賢), said.
Her family is to host a memorial service on Tuesday next week, as it marks the 100th day after her death, Tsai Yi-min’s mother, Yang Hsiu-ching (楊秀菁), said.
She is proud of her daughter’s devotion to her profession, Yang said, adding that Tsai Yi-min’s short life was not sacrificed for nothing.
Tsai Yi-min has also received a posthumous distinguished alumni award from her alma mater, Pingtung County’s Tzu Hui Institute of Technology.
Tsai Yi-min is on Thursday to receive a posthumous outstanding professional nursing award at an International Nurses Day celebration hosted by the Taiwan Nurses Association and the Taiwan Union of Nurses Associations.
Tsai Yi-min’s body has been returned to her family and a death certificate has been issued, Taitung District Prosecutor Lien Ssu-fan (連思藩) said.
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