CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Two pilots and three passengers survived a helicopter crash in Lantapan town, Bukidnon province, on July 27, 2023
However, an initial report from the Lantapan Fire Station on June 28 said one passenger was injured. He was identified as Carmelo Paras.
Aside from Paras and pilot Jared Hoewing, three others were also aboard the Philippine Adventist Medical Aviation Services (PAMAS) helicopter. They were identified as Daria Kiayn, also a foreigner, Alan Martinez, and Gary Soria.
The BFP personnel, together with responders from the Municipal Disaster Risk Management Office of the local government immediately acted when the helicopter crashed around 10 a.m. at a banana plantation in the town’s Sitio Babahagon.
In the report, Paras sustained shoulder and left leg injuries and could not stand.
In a statement, PAMAS said Hoewing was piloting at around 3,000 feet altitude when the helicopter began losing power and had to do an emergency landing.
“As we consider this incident, we want to praise God for his goodness in sparing the lives of all on board. We trust that the Lord will continue to hold this ministry in his hand,” the group said.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing.
CAAP probe
On Friday, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said it is investigating the incident of the emergency landing.
The CAAP said PAMAS did not file a flight plan.
A post on Pamas Mission’s Facebook page said pilot Hoewing was at around 3,000 feet altitude when the helicopter began losing power and had to do an emergency landing about 3 miles from the airbase.
The group also owns the “Yellow Bee” Alouette helicopter that went missing in Palawan last March. (Nef Luczon/PNA)