Chopper Crashes 10 Meter Before Landing

Magelang, Central Java (Antara) - Military helicopter MI-17 crashed 10 meters before landing in Malinau, North Kalimantan, at 11 a.m on Saturday, killing 13 passengers, army chief of staff General Budiman said here on Monday. "Based on an initial report, which is not a conclusion, the helicopter was only 10 meters from landing when it was struck by strong winds, causing it to lose balance and its propeller to hit a nearby tree, resulting in the helicopter crashing in a valley," he said. He made the statement after a ceremony to mark the retirement of high ranking army officials at the Military Academy here. General Budiman said all of the dead had been evacuated, while the seriously injured have been transferred to army hospital RSPAD Gatot Subroto in Jakarta. Five passengers who were lightly injured were treated at the regional Tarakan hospital. Budiman noted that the incident would be used for future consideration to only allow MI-17¿s to land on wide helipads when no strong winds are blowing. Asked if the weather played a part in the incident, he said there has not yet been any conclusion. "Based on the initial report that I received from the investigation team, the incident happened just as we said," he added. Budiman said reports from experts would be needed before a final conclusion is reached to determine what caused the incident, adding that an answer could hopefully be released next week. (*)