A helicopter carrying Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Archie Gamboa crashed in San Pedro, Laguna this morning after it became entangled in electrical powerlines, with an unconscious Gamboa rushed to the hospital.
Rescuers pulled Gamboa from the burning wreckage of the chopper along with seven other passengers, ABS-CBN News reports. His companions were PNP Spokesperson Bernard Banac, comptrollership chief Maj. Gen. Jovic Ramos, PNP intelligence director Maj. Gen. Mariel Magaway, two pilots, and two other persons whose identities are as yet unknown.
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PNP-Highway Patrol Group (HPG) Chief Col. Wilson Doromal told CNN Philippines that dust coming from the area may have affected the pilot’s visibility.
“There was zero visibility in the field of our helipad. The chopper was surrounded by so much dust, so it hit the wires. That’s the reason why it crashed,” Doromal said.
Gamboa was seated on the “safe” side of the relatively new aircraft, which burst into flames after it crashed.
“He was seated on the right side of the chopper, so the Chief PNP was safe. They were all wearing seatbelts when we recovered them,” Doromal added.
San Pedro Police Chief Lt. Col. Zeric Soriano told Rappler that Gamboa was “OK,” and was recuperating at the Westlake Medical Center in the same town. Gamboa was in San Pedro to attend an event, and the chopper was supposed to bring him to the nearby town of Calamba.
