Japan Economic Newswire, NOVEMBER 16, 1987
Copyright 1987 Kyodo News Service Japan Economic Newswire
NOVEMBER 16, 1987, MONDAY LENGTH: 251 words
HEADLINE: ASIAN NEWS-PHILIPPINES; PHILIPPINES GENERAL, SEVEN OTHERS DIE IN CHOPPER CRASH
DATELINE: ZAMBOANGA CITY, PHILIPPINES, NOV. 16
BODY: THE DEPUTY COMMANDER OF THE MILITARY'S SOUTHERN COMMAND AND SEVEN OTHER MILITARY MEN DIED IN A HELICOPTER CRASH IN THE SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES, THE MILITARY REPORTED MONDAY. AIR FORCE SPOKESMAN LT. ROMMEL RONDA SAID THE HELICOPTER, A HUEY GUNSHIP, HIT A COCONUT TREE AFTER TAKING OFF SUNDAY EVENING IN MALAMAWI, AN ISLAND VILLAGE OFF BASILAN PROVINCE, 530 MILES SOUTH OF MANILA. MARINE BRIG. GEN. ARTURO ASUNCION AND HIS COMPANIONS WERE KILLED ON THE SPOT WHILE A SERGEANT SURVIVED THE CRASH, HE SAID. ON THE SAME DAY, A CONGRESSMAN AND FIVE OTHER PERSONS INCLUDING A FORMER JOURNALIST WERE KILLED WHEN THEIR LIGHT PLANE EXPLODED AND PLUNGED INTO THE SEA OFF CATANDUANES ISLAND, NEAR THE SOUTHERN TIP OF LUZON. TWO OTHER PERSONS WERE DECLARED MISSING, A BUREAU OF AIR TRANSPORT SPOKESMAN SAID. ASUNCION, 49, WAS THE SECOND GENERAL TO BE KILLED IN A HELICOPTER CRASH THIS YEAR. IN SEPTEMBER, BRIG. GEN. EUGENIO OCAMPO, COMMANDER OF THE CONSTABULARY'S SOUTHERN LUZON COMMAND, DROWNED WHEN A HUEY GUNSHIP DITCHED AT SEA OFF QUEZON PROVINCE. SEVERAL OTHER TOP MILITARY OFFICERS WITH OCAMPO SURVIVED THE ACCIDENT. THE BASILAN CRASH WAS THE SECOND IN TWO DAYS INVOLVING A HUEY HELICOPTER. THREE SOLDIERS WERE KILLED SATURDAY WHEN A HUEY GUNSHIP CRASHED INTO A CREEK IN THE CENTRAL PHILIPPINES. A MILITARY REPORT SAID THE HELICOPTER WAS HEADING FOR MACTAN AIR BASE AFTER SUPPORTING TROOPS PURSUING COMMUNIST GUERRILLAS WHEN IT RAN INTO A STORM NEAR CEBU CITY, 345 MILES SOUTH OF THE CAPITAL.
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