Major Restituto Padilla, PAF Philippine Information Office chief, said that the PAF chopper, a UH-IH helicopter, crashed while it was about to land in Mt. Salacot due to strong winds.
Two of the injured PAF men were Capt. Gaudencio Lauron III, the bemedalled pilot who rescued Abu Sayyaf hostage Gracia Burnham during a military operation in Zamboanga last year, and his co-pilot 1st Lt. Norman Alinsangan.
Padilla said the helicopter was on its way to an air force base in Mt. Salacot when the accident happened. — Sandy Araneta